PRINCESS Margaret Hospital was demolished nearly 20 years ago - but it still has a special place in the hearts of many Swindonians.

It served the town and the wider North Wiltshire area for more than 40 years before closing in 2002 - the same year the princess died.

Known to many as PMH, it was the first new hospital built in Britain after the Second World War and after visiting for the foundation stone laying ceremony in 1957, the Queen's sister returned in 1966 to declare it officially open, although it had been treating patients since 1960.

It had 524 beds, but even that was not always enough to cope with winter flu outbreaks and in 1980 wards had to be closed temporarily when 70 nurses fell ill. Fifteen years later all scheduled operations had to be cancelled because there were not enough beds. The cause was hundreds of extra admissions for illnesses like pneumonia and heart attacks.

The princess wasn't the only royal visitor. Her nephew, Prince Charles was treated there in 1986 after breaking his finger while at Highgrove.

Rolling Stones star Ronnie Wood was another high profile patient. He suffered two broken legs when he was hit by a car on the M4 near junction 15 as he tried to direct traffic around his broken down car.

Towards the end of its life it was discovered the hospital building had deteriorated so much it would cost £50m to make the necessary repairs. It shut down at 7am on December 3, 2002, just a minute before the new £132m Great Western Hospital opened.