Kate ScotterIt was not for the squeamish but for the first time people were able to watch a surgeon carry out a live operation at the county's flagship hospital at the weekend.Kate Scotter

It was not for the squeamish but for the first time people were able to watch a surgeon carry out a live operation at the county's flagship hospital at the weekend.

Visitors to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital had the chance to watch while a team of dermatologists operated on a patient on Saturday as part of the hospital's open day.

People watched via a live television link from the operating theatre while the patient, who cannot be identified for confidential reasons, went under the knife to have a large skin growth removed.

Dr Nick Levell, a consultant dermatologist, said he came up with the idea to allow visitors to watch the operation live because be wanted people to see more of the work his team carries out.

The surgery was undertaken by consultant dermatologist Nasir Shah who was assisted by nurse Fay Watson.

As part of the open day, the hospital also ran a Go Rabbit painting competition following the success of the Go Elephant project in Norwich last year.

The charity-funded hospital arts project has 35 life size plaster rabbits which children were encouraged to paint. The rabbits, now they have been decorated, will be displayed around the hospital.