More than 700 operations have been cancelled in hospitals across Glasgow following the closure of a unit responsible for sterilising surgical equipment.

As reported by STV News previously, inspectors found issues with the fabric of the Cowlairs Decontamination Unit building in Springburn last week.

All of the instrumentation has had to be collected, decontaminated, sterilised, tested and repackaged. In the meantime, duties have been transferred to another unit at Inverclyde Royal.

A total of 728 surgical procedures and major surgeries have now been postponed, with patients at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Stobhill Hospital, Gartnavel General Hospital and New Victoria Hospital affected.

A NHSGGC spokesperson confirmed the service at Cowlairs has now reopened on a phased basis and work is under way to bring the unit back into full production.

They stated: "Following the news of the re-certification of Cowlairs by our quality assurance advisors, we are in the final stages of our own internal environmental testing.

"The satisfactory results from the testing that has been completed so far have enabled Cowlairs to re-open today on a phased basis and work is now underway to bring the unit back into full production.

"It will take some days for the unit to return to its previous levels of activity.

"This will allow planned activity to take place, alongside the emergency, trauma and urgent cases that have been prioritised throughout the past week.

"In the meantime, we continue to be supported by the unit at Inverclyde and by other Health Boards and we remain grateful for this assistance.

"Regrettably, we had to postpone a further 159 planned operations due to take place on Friday.

"We are writing to those affected to apologise and to reassure them we will be looking to re-appoint them as soon as possible."