A HOSPITAL patient has received an early Christmas present – after nurses bagged her a festive message from Irish crooner Daniel O’Donnell.

Staff at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee knew the 58-year-old singer was Betty Martin’s favourite – after all, she “wouldn’t stop talking about him”.

So Charge Nurse Andrea Jones and her team asked O’Donnell’s management team if he’d come to Tayside for a cup of tea with the 93-year-old in-patient.

As he’s currently on tour in the US, O’Donnell recorded a video greeting for his fan instead, saying: “Hello Betty, how are you doing? It’s Daniel O’Donnell here, just a wee message to say hello.

“Some of the nurses asked me if I would send this and I’m delighted to be able to do it. Hope you’re well. Merry Christmas and God bless.”

Dundee woman Betty, who is originally from Aberdeenshire, said she was “delighted” with the surprise: “I couldn’t sleep all night. It was so good of the staff to contact him. It cheered me up.”

The National:

Jones said: “We knew Daniel O’Donnell was Betty’s favourite – from the minute she came into the ward she wouldn’t stop taking about him.

“We contacted his management team asking if Daniel would come and have a cup of tea with Betty. However, he has a previous engagement, he’s doing a concert in America, but he did send that wee message and we are very happy he made contact.

“But we’re still waiting for a wee cup of tea, Daniel.”

In 2012 O’Donnell made UK chart history by becoming the first artist to have an album in those charts each year for 25 years in a row.