Wantage councillors and residents have vowed to fight to the end to save the town's hospital.

At a special town council meeting, called by mayor Jenny Hannaby, councillors pledged to stand united in a campaign to keep the hospital open.

Calls for support from residents and businesses in Wantage and Grove, were met with applause from about 50 residents.

Councillors agreed that a committee should be formed to run the campaign and they donated £1,000 towards a 'fighting fund'.

The meeting was called in response to a report published by the south east and south west Oxfordshire primary care trusts, together with Oxfordshire social services, about the future of community hospitals in south Oxfordshire.

The report's eleven options range from closing between two and four of the community hospitals in the area -- Abingdon, Didcot, Henley, Wallingford, Wantage and Witney.

Closed hospitals would become Community Support Units, which would provide therapy and day care services.

The PCTs believe the shake-up will improve patient services. But Mrs Hannaby said she was outraged by the report.

She said: "It's vital that people back the campaign -- we will fight until the end to save the hospital."

Town councillor John Humphries said future population increases in the town and Grove justified the expansion of Wantage Hospital.

Paul Kent, who helped lead a successful campaign to prevent community hospital closures five years ago, called for councillors and residents to work together.

He urged people to write to the PCTs outlining their opposition ahead of a board meeting, at Wantage Civic Hall, on January 29.

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