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The robotic surgeon performs an operation

It's the stuff of science fiction - delicate operations carried out by a robot. But it's becoming a reality and the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading is leading the way.

In October 2008 the hospital was one of the first in the UK to use the Da Vinci robot - initially for operating on cancerous prostates.

Now Royal Berkshire is to become one of the first hospitals in the UK to use the robot for multi-specialist surgery on the NHS.

The BBC has had exclusive access to see the robot in action.

Watch South Today report Ben Moore's video below. Warning: contains live operation footage:

The video shows the robot being used to remove a cancerous prostate gland.

South Today reporter Ben Moore

Surgeon Adam Jones sits at a highly responsive control station with a 3D viewfinder - his hand movements are mirrored in miniature by the robot.

"The robot has far more degrees of motion than my wrists or fingers do and it means I can manipulate far more accurately," says Dr Jones.

Surgeons also use their feet to control the robotic arm.

The robot cost £1.2 million and uses technology developed by NASA. It's only used in eight hospitals outside London.

Peter Boltwood from Wokingham is the man operated on in the video. The grandfather underwent surgery at 8am on Thursday 9 July, and by 4pm he was sitting up in bed doing the TV interview.

He could be discharged from hospital the following day, which is unheard of with conventional surgery. Usually he would have to stay in for at least a week.

Find out more about the Da Vinci robot here: