Villagers demonstrate in support of surgery

Campaigners in Middleton Cheney upset about the closure of their local doctors' surgery made their feelings known at a demonstration last weekend.

The surgery, which was run by Horsefair Surgery, in Banbury, closed its doors at the beginning of October due to a difficulty in recruiting GPs, and was put up for sale.

Village residents now have to travel to Banbury to see a doctor.

Since then local businesswoman Sophie Johnson, who is chairman of South Northants Labour Party, has launched a petition to save the surgery and Middleton Cheney Parish Council has applied to obtain the building as a community asset.

People gathered outside the Co-op on Saturday for a peaceful demonstration.

Mrs Johnson said: “We had a really positive reception across the board from local residents. Our petition received 123 signatures in an hour.

“There is one amazing man, George Emerson, who came to support us. He is very angry to lose the surgery, which is at the end of his road and has looked after him countless times.”

Mr Emerson, who is 101 years old and uses a mobility scooter to get around said he now has to ask the doctor to visit him at home when previously he could get to the surgery on his scooter.