Metal thieves targeting a hospital back-up generator have forced the suspension of 81 operations at a hospital in South Wales.
Jan Williams, the health board chief executive for Llandough Hospital, condemned the theft of 100 metres of copper cable as "absolutely disgraceful".
Two vital breast cancer operations were cancelled, along with 79 other operations on Tuesday afternoon.
Back up generators are absolutely crucial to hospitals because they guarantee life and death services remain running if there is a power cut.
One horrified relative told the Telegraph: "It's disgusting, I don't know how anyone would be cold hearted enough to steal from a hospital. They are putting people's loved ones at risk for the sake of some scrap metal."
A local healthboard official told the Huffington Post UK that the operations will all be rescheduled, in order of urgency, starting from Thursday.
South Wales Police have said they are investigating.