THE owners of a former factory are offering up the facility to be used as an NHS field hospital in the fight against Covid-19.

Sandy and James Easdale, as well as Seamus Shields, have put forward their vacant IBM site near Greenock for free to help with the pandemic. 

The vacant 65,000 sq ft building has a canteen, toilet and office facilities in place with a network of utilities. 

The news comes after Scotland's Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood revealed sites are being considered for such facilities, as has been done with the Excel in London. 

It also follows news, revealed by The National, that Glasgow's Scottish Exhibition Centre is being considered.

READ MORE: Scottish Exhibition Centre possible site for field hospital

The Easdales, who also own McGill's Buses, said: "The NHS and the Scottish Government are looking at potential options for field hospitals in Scotland, similar to what is being facilitated at the Excel in London.

"We know there will be specific criteria required by the NHS but this is a vacant, large capacity building which is easily accessed in the west of Scotland.

"Contact has already been made with local politicians and Scottish Government regarding its availability and should it be required then we can make progress rapidly on its handover.

"The NHS staff and Government are doing brilliant work to get us through this unprecedented crisis and we are willing to help them in any way we can."

Shields, joint owner of the site and owner of Advance Construction, said: "As a business we are navigating ourselves through these challenging times and can only imagine the pressures that the NHS and Scottish Government are under during this crisis.

"We are delighted to be able to assist in any way possible and my team are ready and willing to help prepare the site if required to enable access and infrastructure requirements of the NHS.