THIS was the day when the Journal delivered to Prime Minister Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street the response to South Worcestershire Primary Care Trusts proposals for cuts at Evesham Community Hospital.

A delegation led by Town Mayor Councillor Mrs Frances Smith and Peter Luff, MP for Mid Worcestershire, handed over a box containing nearly 30,000 signatures.

The petition was organised by the Journal and was a tremendous success. "Nothing like this has ever been seen in the town before," the Mayor said.

Also in the delegation, allowed though the iron gates of an almost eerily quiet Downing Street, was Dr Neil Townshend, of Broadway, who has represented local GPs on the action committee, Fred Kaler, chairman of Evesham and District Pensioners' Association, and Gerry Barnett, representing the Journal.

In response to the Mayor's rap on the knocker of No 10, the door was opened by a member of staff who accepted the box of petitions and Mr Luff handed over the covering letter from Journal Editor John Murphy.

Mr Luff said: "We have brought the near-30,000 strong petition to demonstrate just how strong feelings are in the Vale of Evesham. "

"I hope it will show the Prime Minister how seriously the people of the district take their local hospital and its first-class facilities," said Mr Luff.

The mayor said: "This is the culmination of many weeks of hard work and we are grateful to the Journal for all its efforts, to the people of the Vale for signing the petition in support of Evesham hospital in such large numbers and Mr Luff for organising the visit to Downing Street."

She added: "We have had wonderful support throughout the campaign and hope it will result in the PCT at its meeting on October 5 accepting the fact that Evesham has an extremely important part to play in health provision in Worcestershire."

Dr Townshend said: "I think it was very important to deliver the petition to ensure that the tremendous support of the Vale is made plain both to the PCT and central Government. The response was fantastic and the strength of opinions should not be ignored."