A doctors' surgery on Banbury's Hardwick estate will reopen next month (October) after being closed for almost three years.

The surgery, next to Ferriston shopping centre, was forced to close in December 2002 when the landlords refused to grant a new lease.

But Cherwell District Council has stepped in to buy the building and has given a lease on the premises to the West Bar Surgery.

District councillor Nick Turner, who campaigned to get the surgery re-pened, said: "It was frustrating to see the surgery closed when there's a high demand for medical services, especially as the West Bar doctors were keen to operate from the site. It has been a great achievement getting the council to step in."