Alcester's MP has added his weight to the campaign for a new £2 million hospital in the town.

John Maples has written to the chief executive of the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority, Mike Marchment, requesting funds for the hospital be made available at the soonest possible opportunity.

He highlighted the terrific support from residents and said the project would be replacing a very old facility.

Plans for the new 25-bed hospital complete with a day care and outpatient centres and chiropody, dental and physiotherapy suites will go before the Strategic Health Authority's capital expenditure budget meeting by the end of the month.

The MP said he has long campaigned for an end to the planning stage and is hopeful progress with the actual development is not far away.

Chief executive of the south Warwickshire Primary Care Trust, Catherine Griffiths, vowed last month that it was not whether Alcester Hospital got the money, but when.