THIS giant crane will feature in Dorchester's skyline for the next 15 months or so.

The 25 metre crane, with a 70metre span, is being used in the construction of the next phase of Dorset County Hospital.

Made up of five mast sections and 11 jib sections it was lifted into place this week by another crane with a small team, suitable helmeted and secured by safety harnesses, bolting each section into place.

While on site it will be used for loading deliveries and lifting heavy materials, capable of lifting 16 tonnes at a 15m radius or 2.3 tonnes at the 70m radius point.

The DCH expansion project is being built by Tilbury Douglas and will see a new emergency department and critical care unit, part of a £100million project funded through the Government's New Hospital Programme.

A hospital statement says: "We provide emergency and planned care to a population of approximately 300,000 across the west of the county. Increasing demand is putting extra pressure on our Emergency Department, which treats twice as many people as it was built for. Demand is expected to rise, so investment is vital to make sure we can meet our patients' needs."

The two new units are being built on the site of the former Damers School and will link in to the existing hospital. The building will feature a helicopter landing pad on its roof and a new ambulance facility alongside the building.

At present the hospital has 11 critical care bed spaces which will expand to a 24-bed critical care unit (CrCU), including a paediatric space, sitting directly above the new Emergency Department (ED).

Both existing departments will remain open until the new facility is built, with the space being repurposed once services have relocated.