But health bosses confirmed this week that the existing Swaffham Community Hospital and all its services will be retained for the foreseeable future.

Swaffham hospital has 18 community beds but plans to replace them with more on a new site in the town have been shelved by the area's primary care trust, NHS Norfolk.

The new hospital would have had 24 beds but the trust says its £10 million building cost and £1 million a year extra running costs cannot be justified, especially as the existing hospital is in good condition following a revamp in 1995. It has pledged to look again at the issue of community beds in the west before the end of the year.

Campaigners are pleased the existing hospital in Sporle Road will remain as there were concerns the PCT would close it because there were too few beds. South West Norfolk MP Christopher Fraser said he has been given an assurance that NHS Norfolk will continue to fund the current hospital.