Oxford's hospital radio station marks its 40th birthday tomorrow.

Seventy volunteer broadcasters, hospital staff and patients will be in fine voice for a eight-hour programme of music and chat from Radio Cherwell's studio at the Churchill Hospital, Headington.

The station shares its birthday with BBC Radio One, which was launched on September 30, 1967.

Chairman Neil Stockton, 55, from Bletchingdon, said: "It will be a wonderful social event where we can reminisce on the past and look ahead to our future."

The station's founder chairman was John Simpson, who went on to present BBC Radio Oxford.

In 1965 Mr Simpson and several colleagues from GPO Telephones - now BT - converted a disused toilet block into what was to become one of the most successful hospital radio stations in the country. Mr Simpson recalled: "We spent so much time converting and setting up the equipment that we did not have time to consider what we were going to broadcast.

"The mainstay of those early broadcasts was the football commentary from Oxford United's Manor Ground at Headington."

The commentary team of Gerry Cadle, Mick Alsworth and Jimmy Hall brought plenty of excitement for patients with their first broadcast - covering Oxford United's 5-4 defeat of Bury. Audiences have since been nursed back to health with broadcasts from the former Oxford bus garage and interviews with The Who.

Forty years on, Radio Cherwell serves the Churchill and Nuffield Orthopaedic Hospitals and the John Radcliffe complex.

Mr Stockton added: "We are so lucky to have so many caring, gifted people from all walks of life, ranging in age from 16 to 85. All these people bring their professional skills to the station for no financial reward.

"But, of course, making life in hospital a little more bearable for patients is what really matters. Many patients tell us how much we have cheered them up or alleviated their boredom."