The Bristol Evening Post has exposed litter-strewn corridors, cockroaches and discarded dirty mopheads at Bristol Royal Infirmary - captured on camera by one of its readers.

The paper published photographs taken at the BRI's Old Building by Barbara Bendon on its front page under the headline: "WHAT A MESS".

The Evening Post took the photos to the United Bristol Healthcare Trust, which runs the BRI.

Trust spokesman Ben Harris said: "None of these photographs were taken in areas where patients are cared for and the equipment depicted is not handled by staff involved in patients' clinical care.

"The Old Building was opened in 1735 and we are aware that it is not a suitable environment for 21st century patient care, which is why we plan to move all clinical service from the Old Building to purpose-built facilities on the main BRI site."

The Evening Post's comment column criticised the Trust's response to the pictures.

It said: "The Trust does itself no favours by pointing out that none of the pictures were taken in areas where patients are cared for and that the equipment shown is not handled by medical staff.

"Trolleys are pushed into wards and if they are carrying germs, they will go in too. Relatives walk through these areas and unwittingly walk germs into the wards.

"It all, of course, comes down to money. But with fears over the spread of antibiotic-resistant superbugs, there is no excuse for poor standards of hygiene.

"The sooner the patients are moved to new wards on the main BRI site the better."

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