Latest statistics from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) reveal there were just five cases of MRSA at the borough's district hospital between January and June this year.

That places the hospital as the best performing facility in the region.

But the figures are even better when they are brought up to date – between February and September there has not been a single case of the superbug at the Harton Lane hospital in South Shields.

It's a statistic which David Shilton, South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust executive director of nursing, is proud.

He said: "From April last year to March we had a target of no more than 12 cases and we ended that period with 10, with five of those coming in the last quarter.

"There have been no cases at all since February, and you can't do any better than zero cases. That must place us as best in the country, or equal best at the very least.

"We have always been among the best performers in the country and the measures we have in place are on-going. We will continue to be vigilant."

The statistics reveal that superbug cases fell by 18 per cent across the region from April to June.

But the worst performing Trust was County Durham and Darlington, with 14 cases of MRSA in that three-month spell.

This was particularly embarrassing for the Trust, as it was selected by the Department of Health as one of seven "Showcase Trusts" given the task of disinfecting hospital wards.

Nationally, cases of MRSA in hospitals across England have fallen by more than a third over the past year.

And Prime Minister Gordon Brown has written a letter to NHS staff praising their efforts.