A FORMER cancer surgeon at Redditch's Alexandra Hospital is to stand trial after he denied lying about his ability to carry out keyhole surgery.

Sudip Sarker is alleged to have exaggerated his ability to carry out certain bowel operations between May 9, 2011 and September 1, 2011, when he worked for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

Sarker, now of Botany Road, Broadstairs in Kent, denies one charge of making a gain through fraud by false representation when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court..

The charge alleges he claimed to have undertaken 80 sigmoid colectomies with 51 of them carried out independently.

The trial is expected to last between three and four weeks and has been scheduled to start on January 22 next year.

Sarker was granted unconditional bail.