MORETONHAMPSTEAD Community Hospital is to be closed to inpatients for at least three months from the end of this month with no guarantee the nine-bed facility will ever re-open, writes Nigel Canham.

The move was said to be 'in the best interest of patients' as nurses were deemed to be not skilled enough.

The Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust broke the news to the Advertiser late on Wednesday afternoon, just as community leaders were being informed via email.

Chairman of Moretonhampstead Parish Council, Cllr Ron Jones, described the development as a 'disappointment'.