A health board has been forced to apologise after a patient's bowel cancer was diagnosed three years late.

NHS Grampian was found guilty of a number of failings after a woman's cancer was detected in 2016.

The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) reported that the woman would have been diagnosed in 2013 had clinical guidance been properly followed.

A SPSO report said a man complained on behalf of his late mother about an "unreasonable delay".

He also complained the nursing care at Woodend Hospital, in Aberdeen, was unreasonable towards the end of her life.

The report ruled: "We noted that a number of failings contributed to the delay, including a failure to review the quality of previous investigations performed."

NHS Grampian said in a statement: "We are sorry for our actions in this case.

"It is clear the treatment we provided to Mrs A fell well below the standards we aspire to.

"The ombudsman has made a number of recommendations in this area and we accept them all.

"We have apologised directly to the family and would take this opportunity to publicly apologise for our failings in this case."