Doctor's dying request: wash the windows

A terminally ill doctor's dying wish was that the windows be cleaned at the hospital where he was treated.

John Hughes-Games asked for all donations after his death to go towards paying for window cleaners.

He was appalled by the dirty state of the windows and wanted patients - many who spend their last days there - to see the sun.

The Bristol Oncology Centre, where he spent three weeks before dying from leukaemia, has not had its 400 windows cleaned in seven years.

They are said to be in a 'terrible mess'. The job will take a team of three a week and cost ?1,500.

Dr Hughes-Games, 77, practised as a GPin the city for 40 years, specialising in homeopathy, before retiring in 1997.

His condition was diagnosed in February this year, and he was admitted to the NHS unit for transfusions to ease his suffering early last month.

The grandfather-of-four was allowed home to Clifton, in Bristol, to spend a final week with his family before he died two weeks ago. His wife Susan, 51, said: 'He received fantastic treatment in hospital but he did comment about the state of the windows.

'They made everything look dark and gloomy - every day would look dull even when it wasn't outside. He just wanted people inside the building to be connected to the outside world.'

Before he died, her husband told Dr David Spence, of the United Bristol Healthcare Trust, his intentions.

'He spontaneously said, "I'm going to set up a fund to have these windows cleaned" and, absolutely true to form, he's having it done,' recalled Dr Spence.

Window cleaner Steve Glasson, who is submitting a quote for the work, said: 'It's a big job - the windows are a terrible mess and it won't be a simple case of giving them a wipe.'