A woman who was misdiagnosed by Dr Glenn Kelly said she is in ‘shock’ at the failings at Accrington Victoria.

Sue Gilmore underwent a mastectomy operation two years ago this week, after a biopsy in December 2008 found cancer six years after her first scan by Dr Kelly.

The retired teacher said: "It said in the report that he had three appraisals in 18 years. What's that all about?

"I feel he is culpable, but I do feel that the trust have had a responsibility as well that they should make sure that their staff are trained up.

"It’s terrifying to look back and realise that I was walking around for six years with cancer having gone through all the tests. At night when you cannot get to sleep these things come back to haunt you. "Physically I feel I'm over the cancer but emotionally I’m not."

Manchester law firm Pannone is representing seven of the affected women.

Clinical negligence expert Julianne Moore welcomed the report, but said it could not rectify the mistakes, nor their ‘devastating effect’.

"Whilst the report puts the root cause of failure at the feet of an individual radiologist it also highlights collective failings within the Trust," she added.

MP Graham Jones MP admitted it was ‘shocking’ the problem was not spotted earlier.

He said: "My concerns are obviously with the 61 women who have been misdiagnosed and their families.

"I just hope now and I feel confident that the NHS are treating the remaining women with utmost care and have taken this extremely seriously."

NHS chiefs have said they 'welcome' the report, have fully complied with his recommendations.

Rineke Schram, medical director of East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "The report confirms that the failings which led to women receiving delayed cancer diagnoses all related to a single consultant radiologist within the breast screening unit, and that all other breast

screening radiologists working at East Lancashire Hospitals perform to a high standard.

"The radiologist in question has not carried out any clinical work since April 2009. An internal investigation is continuing following standard employment guidelines. The consultant is currently excluded from duty.

"The Trust apologises again to all women affected by this incident, and recognises the added distress it has caused to women already suffering the trauma of breast cancer.

"Lessons have been learned within the East Lancashire Breast Screening Programme and throughout the NHS."