HOSPITAL staff were forced to remove Christmas tinsel from Glasgow’s children’s hospital after it was deemed a fire hazard.

Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity dressed the Royal Hospital for Children for the festive season, bringing plenty of sparkle and good cheer.

But tinsel hung by volunteers on the ceiling of the building was found not to be fire safe.

And NHS bosses stepped in immediately to pull it down.

Despite the blunder, charity staff were quick to point out the hospital is still well decorated, with the Christmas tree still standing.

A spokesman for Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity said: “The Christmas decorations are part of our ongoing play and events programme, which runs year-round in partnership with NHSGGC.

“Thanks to our generous supporters we have been able to ensure that the hospital has a festive feeling throughout with decorations, trees, a Santa’s grotto and many more festive activities scheduled for the coming weeks.

“We have removed one type of decoration following a recommendation from NHSGGC.

“Alongside patient safety our priority is to ensure that children in hospital have the best Christmas possible.”

But one staff member was still unimpressed and contacted the Evening Times to express their frustration.

The worker, who asked not to be named, said: “The Christmas decorations have been deemed a fire hazard after staff had put them up.

“It’s a real kick in the teeth for the staff who came in from other organisations in their own time to hang them all.

“Staff in the hospital are angry too at how hypocritical it is.

“You are not meant to smoke on NHS grounds and yet people smoke outside the hospital all the time and no one does anything to resolve that, yet as soon as the Christmas decorations are deemed hazardous they are taken down.

“It’s all a bit heavy handed.”

A spokeswoman for NHS Great Glasgow and Clyde said: “The Royal Hospital for Children is decorated with Christmas trees and other suitable decorations to ensure that children visiting the hospital enjoy a festive feel.

“Unfortunately ceiling decorations donated by the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity were not fire resistant and as our priority is always the health and safety of our staff and patients these have been removed.”