A village doctors surgery has been primed for the future after under going a �280,000 overhaul which has doubled its size.

Aldborough Surgery has been completely refurbished and extended to cope with its growing list of patients and increasing staff population - and to accommodate its flourishing teaching department.

The work, which was only completed this week, also means the surgery is now prepared for the expected changes in the NHS - which could see GPs take on more services.

The surgery, which covers Aldborough and surrounding villages within a ten miles radius, has steadily seen its patient numbers increase and now has close to 3,000 people on its books.

Philip Wood, a partner at the practise which opened in its current premises in 1994, said the work has helped 'guarantee' the surgery's future in the village and prepared it to take on new services.

Dr Wood said: 'There's been a long and good standard of practices working closely together in north Norfolk and we want to be able to slot into that and take our share in the future.'

'We feel very strongly that being a smaller practice gives us some unique characteristics and we very much wanted to keep the things that people value but, if you like, diversify and look at other services we could offer,' he added.

A large section of the new build has been dedicated to training, which is led by the surgery's second partner, Mark Fleming and means he will now be able to teach students at the Aldborough base, as he was previously travelling to a surgery in Lowestoft for his classes.

Dr Fleming currently teaches fourth year medical students from the University of East Anglia but with the completion of the new surgery he has hopes to take on an extra class and possibly start post graduate training.

North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb will join staff tomorrow to officially open the new surgery, which now also benefits from extra facilities such as baby changing areas, disabled access and a new treatment room.