Wallingford councillors fearful that the town's hospital is again under threat of closure should get some answers from the top next month.

Canon Tony Williamson, chairman of the South East Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust, has agreed to meet them along with Hilary Dover, the trust's director of clinical services.

The meeting will be on Monday, October 13, at 6.30pm.

There is concern the town's hospital could be under threat with the creation of a new, expanded community -- or "locality" -- hospital in Didcot, five miles away.

Mr Williamson has stated publicly that a question mark hangs over the future of Wallingford Hospital.

He told the Oxford Mail: "The prospect of a locality hospital at Didcot which will take most of the acute cases, and a diagnostic and treatment centre in Didcot, means there is a question about the future health use of the Wallingford Hospital site."

He said the respective uses of the Didcot and Wallingford hospital sites were under discussion as part of a major review of how the NHS delivered care to local people.

His comments prompted the town council to reactivate its hospital working party to combat any moves to close the hospital.

Mayor Betty Atkins said she and her deputy, Pat Granados, would lead the fight as they did in 1998 when it was previously threatened with closure.

She said: "The town council will spearhead the opposition. We do not want any splinter groups set up which will divide the campaign to keep our hospital open.

"We've long suspected there would be moves against Wallingford Hospital and these comments by Canon Williamson confirm them.

"He and the trust must now know the gloves are off in this campaign."