LABOUR, Lib Dem and Green councillors who supported the campaign to keep beds at Portland Hospital have been praised by a campaigner.

Giovanna Lewis, one of the organisers of a petition which has attracted over 3,000 signatures, told the final meeting of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council that opposition councillors could be proud of their fight to try and save the 18 beds at the community hospital.

She appealed to Conservative councillors to oppose the Government's austerity programme which she said had led to an increase in people sleeping on the streets, a rise in the use of foodbanks and people being forced to travel miles to receive healthcare.

“As Gandhi said, the world has enough for everyone's need, not everyone's greed,” she said.

Last weekend more than 200 people linked hands around the hospital asking that it be saved from eventual closure and that beds which were closed last summer be reopened.

Organiser Philip Marfleet said at the time: “It's clear that people feel very strongly about keeping the hospital. The hospital is vital to the island community.”

South Dorset MP Richard Drax has asked for a meeting with the health secretary Matt Hancock to discuss the future of the community hospital and what could be done to improve the recruitment of nurses to work there.

“Nationally we are 40,000 nurses short and while there are efforts afoot to train, recruit and retain more, Portland has fallen victim to the problem. I will not hesitate to do what I can to call the Government's attention to this,” said Mr Drax.