Supporters are celebrating after two clinics at Halstead Hospital had their hours extended.

In December last year, the Gazette reported that Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust had decided that it was not going to scrap the family planning and sexual health clinics at the hospital, but that it might reduce the hours the service runs.

However, Dr Irene Bainbridge, the doctor at the clinic, has just heard that both clinics have actually had their hours extended.

Dr Bainbridge added: “A lot of people said it would be inconvenient if they moved the services to Colchester and many people did write letters to the trust to persuade them out of reducing the hours or closing the service and I think this helped.”