Two councillors have demanded another full public discussion on the future of Banbury's Horton Hospital when amended proposals are released.

The new plans will be out in the new year and campaigners George Parish and Kieron Mallon have called for another three-month public consultation period.

The Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust said last week that it was reconsidering proposals to end 24-hour in-patient treatment at the Horton, reduce maternity and obstetrics service, and close the special care baby unit.

The rethink was forced on the trust by more than 4,000 objections - including local GPs who called the proposals unsafe and inhumane.

This week Mr Mallon, a member of the Save the Horton action group, said: "I hope that if the trust is going back to the drawing board, they will allow the people of Banbury to have a new three-month consultation period on their alternative proposals.

"The trust should not think they can produce new ideas and push them through without people having their say."

Mr Parish, chairman of the campaigning group, said: "I think the public would support our call for a new period of consultation. We will certainly organise our own meeting and ask GP representatives to attend."

Mr Parish headed a delegation of Horton Hospital supporters who were in London last Wednesday to join the TUC-led march to Parliament in protest against NHS cuts.

He said: "It was a successful day. We met Banbury MP Tony Baldry and Labour MP Harriet Harman, Minister for Justice.

"They seemed sympathetic to our cause."

The action group has also written to trust chairman Sir William Stubbs - stating that the Horton services are essential and that only minor changes to the plans would be unacceptable.