Protesters are rejoicing today at news that community hospitals in south Oxfordshire have been saved from closure.

Health Minister Rosie Winterton said controversial proposals to shut at least two of the six sites in the south of the county had been rejected.

Witney was already safe, but South West and South East Oxfordshire Primary Care Trusts had proposed closing two other hospitals, out of Didcot, Abingdon, Wantage, Wallingford and Henley.

During a debate with Oxford East and Abingdon MP Evan Harris in the House of Commons, she said Thames Valley Health Authority had halted the plans.

The news was met with elation from councillors and members of the public angry that the PCTs wanted to cut the number of beds. They had set up a campaign to save the hospitals, backed by the Oxford Mail's sister papers in the Herald series.

Jenny Hannaby, Save Wantage Hospital Campaign manager and the town's mayor, said: "It shows that when communities stick together they can overcome what seem to be impossible odds.

"There must be thanks to all the people who put so much effort in helping to save our community hospitals, attending the meetings and telling the PCTs exactly what the hospitals mean to us. This is really stunning news."

Dr Harris said: "I'm delighted the immediate threat to community beds and the future of these hospitals is over.

"But, as a note of caution, there's a huge underlying deficit and overspend in the health economy and this will only be reversed with extra money."