A village surgery is threatened with closure because of repeated vandalism.

The surgery in Bradstock's Way, Sutton Courtenay, near Abingdon, could be shut by the beginning of November if the South West Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) gives the closure the go-ahead.

More than 700 patients will have to travel to the main surgery, in Stert Street, Abingdon, if the practice is axed.

According to Teresa Young, practice manager at The Abingdon Surgery, the practice had applied to the PCT for approval to close the Sutton Courtenay surgery because of problems with vandalism.

Miss Young said: "The surgery in Sutton Courtenay has suffered a significant amount of vandalism, particularly throughout the summer holidays. Money has had to be put into repairing the damage, which has affected the insurance policy.

"We feel we could provide a more efficient service at the main surgery."

If the outpost surgery closes, Ms Young gave assurances that patients would be able to continue seeing the same doctor at the main surgery. Alternatively, they could choose to register with a different practice.

Ms Young said most people living in Sutton Courtenay were already registered with the main practice because the branch surgery's opening hours were restricted to three sessions a week.

Sutton Courtenay Parish Council is objecting to the closure. Chairman John Francis said there was strong opposition to the proposal.

He said: "We have had a surgery for many years now. It has become part of life here and is used by so many people that I feel one of the amenities of a thriving village is going to be withdrawn."

Nicky Wadely, primary care development manager at South West Oxfordshire PCT, said the trust would consult people about the closure until the end of this month.

Miss Wadely said there were a number of reasons why The Abingdon Surgery wanted to close the Sutton Courtenay branch, including the difficulty of providing services across a split site and the fact that the building did not offer adequate access for disabled people.

She said: "It may be that other alternatives to the branch surgery will come out of the consultation, which offers an opportunity to look at the situation positively, rather than saying it is a done deal."

Sutton Courtenay would not be the first village in the area to lose the services of a doctor. Despite fierce opposition from residents, Drayton's surgery closed more than a year ago.

Paul Knight, chairman of Drayton Parish Council, said: "We were told at the time that people would be able to register at one of three surgeries in Abingdon, but in practice they were refusing to take on new patients. The health authority had to make them re-open their books, but some people were not registered with a doctor for a few months."