Woman tells BBC of trauma after unnecessary breast cancer surgery

Twenty women underwent unnecessary mastectomies while being treated for breast cancer, an NHS trust in north‑east England told the BBC. They were among hundreds of patients who suffered harm during care at the breast service of the County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust (CDDFT). The admission follows revelations of serious failures in the unit, as reported by the BBC last year. Steve Russell, who has recently taken over as CDDFT’s chief executive, said he apologises "unreservedly" for the harm the trust caused. Denise Howarth is one of several women who have been told by the NHS that their breast was removed unnecessarily. The BBC’s health correspondent Sharon Barbour reports.