A campaign to save an elderly care ward has been taken to Parliament.

MP Greg Mulholland delivered a 3,000-strong petition condemning a decision to close the last elderly care ward at Wharfedale Hospital to colleagues in the House of Commons last night.

It is the latest move in a campaign against a decision to close ward one at the Otley hospital this year.

Mr Mulholland, who represents Leeds North West, said: “The decision and the way in which the decision was made to close ward one at the hospital was a huge blow for the community and this petition has really demonstrated the wealth of concern about this and the future of the hospital.”

A spokesman for Leeds University Teaching Hospital Trust said it had confirmed its commitment to the hospital but that services ‘evolve over time’.

See Wednesday's T&A for the full story