FORMER nurses who trained and worked at hospitals in Dorset have been reunited with their old colleagues.

More than 160 people attended the reunion held by the West Dorset Hospitals Trained Nurses' League at the Rembrandt Hotel, in Weymouth.

Ex-student nurses who trained at the Weymouth and Portland and West Dorset Hospitals Schools of Nursing came from as far afield as Monte Carlo, America and Scotland to catch up with their old friends.

Robin Harvey, the league's treasurer, recounted fond memories of the League's founder member and ex-Matron of Weymouth and District Hospital, the late Muriel Hughes.

Miss Hughes, he said, was proud of the fact that residential nurses used to call her the 'Red Dragon' and 'Reverend Mother'.

He added that she was well aware of the tricks they used, including climbing in through windows after the doors were locked in the evening. Mr Harvey also thanked the secretary, Margaret Temple, and the chairman, Pat Austin, for organising the reunion.

Members were treated to archive film footage and memorabilia from the West Dorset Hospitals Trained Nurses' League.

Music was provided by the West Dorset Accordion Group, and league president, Anne Radcliffe, presented the players with a cheque for £50 in aid of the group's charity fund.