Lower doses of anaesthetic are needed for the keyhole surgery under the robot’s steady hand, patients lose less blood and the chances of infection are lower.

The robot has four arms which rotate 360 degrees and grip instruments including a camera which are inserted into the body during an operation. There is also a separate control unit - manned by the surgeon - with hand and foot pedals and a three-dimensional screen which can magnify views by up to 10 times.

Medics believe such robots are the future of surgery.

Mr Roughly, from Wigan, Greater Manchester, said: “I was a little apprehensive before the operation as I was the first person to use the robot, but when you have an operation you have to put yourself in the doctor’s hands anyway.

“I was up and about less than 24 hours after my operation. Normally it would be about 10 days.”

Rather than morphine to dull the pain after the operation he only needed paracetamol.

Thanks to the new technique he was able to return home in time for the birth of his granddaughter Sally.

“I’ve hardly had any pain, the surgery was faster, and most importantly, I went home much more quickly so was there in time for the birth of my third grandchild. “I’m so happy,” he said.

Surgeon Vijay Ramani said: “The robot is very sophisticated. With practice you can achieve the same or better levels or control as if you held the instrument yourself, rather than traditional keyhole surgery which is more like using chopsticks.

“This is the future of surgery because it radically reduces most of the risks associated with operations, but the technology enables us to see inside the body as well as performing an open operation and manipulate the instruments with high precision.

“David’s operation went well and his recovery was remarkable. As well as bringing benefits for patients, the machines will be cost effective because patients recover so much quicker - they can be discharged after one or two days and return to work after just a few weeks.”

The medics travelled to the US and Sweden to learn how to use the robot and they hope to carry out more complicated operations in the future. In other parts of the world robots have been used for brain and heart surgery.

For the time being the cancer specialist hospital is only using Matilda for prostate cancer operations.

Another benefit is that it leaves prostate cancer patients with a greater chance of avoiding impotence or incontinence.

Health managers hope this will encourage more men to step forward for voluntary prostate cancer screening.

Mr Roughly asked to be checked out, even though he had no symptoms, because his father and uncle died of the disease.

Doctors diagnosed prostate cancer but it had not spread elsewhere.

There are six other surgery robots in Britain but this is the first in England’s North West.

Toni Leden, head of fundraising at the Christie, said: “Our fundraisers have been really excited to be involved in helping us bring this amazing technology to Manchester. We’re very grateful to everyone involved.”