A nurse who used a Bradford hospital's credit card to go on a £6,000 spending spree has been struck off.

Pauline Akeroyd, 42, bought a radio, a digital camera, vodka and groceries with cash meant for patients of the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

Emma Firbank, for the Nursing and Midwifery Council, said yesterday ward manager Akeroyd had been given a NatWest Visa card to improve facilities for patients.

She was meant to use the £5,000 annual budget to buy pictures and games but used it card to shop in Bradford.

Rebecca Pickles, the trust's anti-fraud specialist, said the card's statements revealed more than 70 discrepancies between December 2002 and July 2003.

She added: "The card was in the name of the trust to buy things to enhance the patient's experiences on the ward.

"There were some suspicions around the use of this purchasing card and it being appropriate. The police became involved. Officers seized two settees and a digital camera from her home address."

Miss Pickles listed a series of purchases from Dixons, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons in Bradford and Safeways in Haverford West. The most expensive goods were a three and two-seater settee costing £945.

Miss Pickles told how Akeroyd also kept a £600 donation from a former patient.

The Trust had issued 40 cards to ward managers but Akeroyd's was the only one that had been used inappropriately.

The NMC ruled she was guilty of misconduct after being convicted of seven offences of obtaining property by deception and one of theft last year.

Chairman Nancy Kirkland said: "The respondent is guilty of misconduct. She abused a position of trust for a long period of time."

Trust chief nurse Bridget Stephens said Akeroyd started working at the 54 ward hospital in 1985. She was dismissed for gross misconduct in 2003.

Mrs Stephens said that during her Court case Akeroyd blamed the offences on "stress at work".

Akeroyd, whose address in court last year was given as Grove Avenue, Shipley, had admitted obtaining property by deception and theft in 2004 at Bradford Magistrates Court.

She was sentenced to 80 hours community punishment, two years community rehabilitation and ordered to pay £6,276 in compensation on June 7 at Bradford Crown Court.

Akeroyd did not attend the hearing.