THE fight to prevent cutbacks to services at Banbury's Horton Hospital was highlighted on Sunday when four walkers marched from the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford to Banbury.

"Save the Horton" campaigners were on hand at the hospital's main entrance to welcome the walkers - David Gibbard, Alan and Joan Watts, and Gareth Nichols - after their 25-mile trek.

George Parish, chairman of the "Keep the Horton General" action group, said: "This was a fantastic effort that keeps our campaign in the public eye. The walkers have sent a strong message to the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust, which wants to downgrade the Horton.

"Efforts like this send a strong message to the trust that ordinary people care about the hospital, and if public consultation means anything, this should be taken as a definite 'no' to the proposed cutbacks."

Mr Watts, 65, said: "The trust's proposals just do not make sense. Banbury and the surrounding area is growing quickly and I do not understand the reasoning behind the reduction of hospital services in the town."

Tomorrow, Friday, town mayor John Donaldson is organising a torchlight demonstration against the planned cuts, leaving the Horton at 6.30pm and marching to People's Park.