The number of postponed operations at Oxfordshire's major hospitals is the highest for at least two years, it was revealed today.

More patients are being forced to wait more than a month to have their surgical treatment rescheduled.

The high numbers in February, the latest figures available, have been blamed on half-term pressures, when many nurses took time off to look after their children.

The shortage of staff meant beds were closed and fewer patients could be admitted for treatment.

The figures are the highest since hospitals began releasing statistics about postponed operations in April, 1999.

Recent statistics from the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust, responsible for the John Radcliffe, Churchill, Radcliffe Infirmary, and The Horton, Banbury, show that in February, 274 people awaiting operations were turned away.

In April last year, the trust called off just 80 operations.

Although Patient Charter rules say cancelled operations should be rescheduled within one month, the number of people left waiting longer than 28 days has also grown.

In April, 2000, 141 patients had to wait longer than four weeks, and in February this year, the number increased to 227.

Trust spokesman Helen Peggs said: "We were quite open at the time about pressures in accident and emergency and the fact that it was half-term and a lot of nurses were away.

"The murky weather and a lot of cases of flu, combined with staff on holiday, put extra pressures on services throughout the system."

Because of a long-term shortage of nursing staff, managers at the trust have drawn up a number of schemes to entice new recruits to acute hospitals in Oxfordshire, including employing workers from abroad and inviting retired employees to re-join the NHS.

Potential staff with families are offered term-time only contracts so they can look after their children during school holidays.

Ms Peggs said managers did take holiday staff shortages into account as a result.

She said: "During the winter especially, we do take measures accordingly as we realise we may have slightly fewer staff, but last February was particularly bad because of the bouts of bronchial illness which added to the pressures."

MP Dr Evan Harris described the NHS as "worse than ever" under New Labour, despite the Government's promises.

Commenting on the latest figures for cancelled operations, the Oxford West and Abingdon MP said: "Every cancelled operation leads to personal disappointment and discomfort or immobility for patients, as well as frustration. I understand that cancellations are a sign of under-bedding and under-staffing and increased emergency pressures, and it all stems from the failure of Government policy to attract and retain staff."

Liberal Democrat Dr Harris said the NHS crisis caused a vicious circle. As staff left, pressures increased, causing more disillusioned health workers to resign.

Mr Andrew Smith, whose Oxford East constituency covers the John Radcliffe and Churchill Hospitals, said that as Chief Secretary to the Treasury he had handed over more money to the NHS than ever before.

He said the Government had actively joined the recruitment campaign, but said Oxford's severe lack of affordable housing made it difficult for NHS workers to live in the area.

He said: "My first thoughts are for the patients affected. Cancellations are a dreadful worry and I have taken up this issue of constituents effected by this.

"I have spoken to the chief executive of the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust, David Highton, who has assured me that he has action in hand to help ease the situation.

"Mr Highton hopes extra nursing recruits and ten new beds within the next few months will help. The hospitals are dealing with an enormously increased workload and it's a question of increasing capacity for patient care."

Meanwhile, Shadow Health Minister Dr Liam Fox blamed the increasing number of care home closures for Oxfordshire's high cancelled operation numbers.

He said reducing care home fees has forced many out of business, leading to more elderly people blocking beds in hospitals because they had nowhere else to go.

Dr Fox said: "Anyone who follows the year-round crisis in the NHS will not be surprised by these depressing figures.

"It's the Government's failure to tackle the crisis in the care home sector which has led to the cancellations and caused huge agony for patients and intense frustration for staff who are doing so much to keep the NHS going against all the odds."