The Member of Parliament for Banbury has called on the public to 'join hands around the Horton' after a crowdfunding page was set up to continue the fight against proposed cuts at the Horton General Hospital.

Victoria Prentis has urged the public to join a planned demonstration on Sunday, August 21 against planned cuts to maternity services.

The plan is to join hands around the perimeter of the hospital, with organisers hoping there will be a large turnout from North Oxfordshire, local politicians, the Keep the Horton General campaign and the surrounding area.

Ms Prentis said: “At the ‘Hands Around Our Horton’ event we hope to bring everyone together. We want people from Banbury, Bicester, villages and farms, as well as elected officials, campaign groups, Horton babies and everybody else to come. We want to show our support for our much-needed general hospital, where so many of us have been treated.

“I was born in the Horton and generations of my family have been treated there countless times. I very much hope we can maintain Horton services as we know them today, and I will continue to fight for their protection.

"I urge everyone in North Oxfordshire and beyond to come along on Sunday, August 21 to join hands around the Horton and show their support."

The event will begin at 10.30am, with further details to be announced in the coming weeks.

A crowdfunding page on Justgiving.com has been set up as the the Keep the Horton General group needs £2,500 for costs, including printing and publicising their campaign, to keep the fight going. 

Last month Oxford University NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital's maternity unit, said it was planning to make it midwife-led by the end of September if more staff were not found.

This means any women experiencing difficulties would have to go elsewhere as no specialists would be on site. 

On Saturday night hundreds of people - including new mums and expectant mums - gather outside the hospital in protest. 

The page - set up on on Thursday - has already reached £945.

To donate to the cause go to crowdfunding.justgiving.com/savourhorton