TORY leader William Hague, who was due to open today's North Yorkshire County Show at Otterington Hall, near Northallerton, is instead recovering from an operation to drain blocked sinuses.

The Richmond MP was admitted to Darlington Memorial Hospital on Thursday for the routine operation under a general anaesthetic.

A spokesman for Mr Hague said the blockage was causing the Tory leader great pain in his head and eyes and could have lead to major problems had it been left untreated.

He said Mr Hague, who was treated on the NHS, had not been given any special treatment.

He spent one night in hospital but was now back at his Catterick Village home being cared for by his wife, Ffion.

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