A TRAILBLAZING doctor has hung up her stethoscope.

Dr Moina Hannan was one of very few female Muslim medics when she started practising in 1970.

After working in several hospitals, the Fixby-based doctor worked at Thornton Lodge Surgery for the past 26 years.

Dr Hannan, who speaks Urdu, Punjabi and Bengali, said: "It was absolutely wonderful to work there.

"I felt that I could understand the needs of other Asian women."

Dr Hannan joined the surgery eight years after her husband, Hafiz, set it up in 1972. Their two sons Amir, 35 and Nasir, 25, are both also doctors, while daughter Rana, 33, works in the City of London.

Amir has worked for five years in Hyde, Greater Manchester, where he took over Harold Shipman's old practise.

His mother said: "I'm very proud of Amir, he's done such a good job. Obviously patients were very demoralised but he's won them round."

Now she has retired, the 65-year-old doesn't intend on putting her feet up.

Dr Hannan said: "I'm working on Nasir's wedding in Karachi next month and after that I would like to keep helping Asian women in the area."

Dr Hannan also hopes to see an old people's home for Asians set up in Huddersfield.