Two gunshot wound victims from Libya were flown into Norwich today before being taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital for specialist surgery.

The men, aged 29 and 46, were flown from Tunisia to Norwich International Airport to receive specialist surgery and rehabilitation at the hospital at the request of the Libyan government.

The two civilians, whose injuries include gunshot wounds to the body, were admitted to the hospital's surgical ward after being assessed by its specialists.

They had suffered their injuries in the Libyan town of Misrata.

The hospital is one of a small number of specialist centres across the UK that have been approached by the Department of Health to take patients from Libya. In all, the Libyan government has asked the NHS to provide care for 50 civilian patients who have been injured as a result of the recent conflict. The full cost of their care is being met by the Libyan government.

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital medical director professor Krishna Sethia said yesterday: 'As a specialist centre for orthopaedic, plastic and reconstructive surgery, we were asked if we could offer our support and we are very pleased to be able to help provide this humanitarian medical assistance.

'The patients are both stable despite their injuries and will be individually assessed by our clinical teams later today. It is expected that they will be with us for a number of weeks as they will require clinically complex treatment from a range of our highly skilled medical, nursing and therapy staff.'

Professor Sethia added: 'We are delighted that we can offer the high quality care that we provide the local population to help patients from Libya who have suffered such terrible injuries.'