HEALTH Secretary Jeremy Hunt cut the ribbon to celebrate the return of Haslemere Hospital's 16 inpatient beds following its £2.3m revamp, last Friday.

Just days before the Cabinet minister responsible for the whole NHS put 11 hospital trusts into special measures after it was revealed the lives of thousands of patients had been put at risk by poor care, Mr Hunt visited his own community hospital and praised it as a "shining example" within the NHS on how to deliver high quality care.

Campaigners who are pressing for the freshly refurbished facility to be upgraded to a lead community "hub" equipped with a 24/7 urgent care centre, say it is ideally placed because town GPs are already on site at the health centre.

Mr Hunt identified it as a key strength of the hospital which serves Liphook.

For full story, see this week's Liphook Herald.