BOVEY Tracey GPs are supporting the closure of inpatient beds at the town's hospital.

The move has been proposed by the Torbay and Southern Devon Health and Care NHS Trust whose bosses believe the 80-year-old facility is no longer fit for purpose.

They have argued the same applies to Ashburton and Buckfastleigh Hospital and want all 20 beds transferred to Newton Abbot, where 25 of the 60 beds have never been used since the £25 million facility opened in 2009.

The ten doctors at Bovey's Riverside Surgery – they also serve Tower House Surgery, Chudleigh – said patients would benefit from the move.