THE opening of the new Okehampton Hospital has had to be put back until next spring, it has been revealed.

The new building was originally due to open at the end of this month.

But a spokesman for North and East Devon Health Service, Claire Wright, has confirmed that an end-of-April date is now the target for opening the new service.

Ms Wright said: ?The main problem encountered by the builders of the new Okehampton Hospital has been the difficult ground conditions on the access road, which were aggravated by persistent heavy rain at critical times in the process.

?These problems have now been resolved and we?re looking at a spring completion.?

Dr Paul Nielson, of Okehampton Health Centre, who has spearheaded the campaign for a new hospital for the town, said the delay would have no negative implications for patient care in the town.

Dr Nielson said: ?We will be able to keep the two old hospitals going until the new one opens.

?The delay is just a consequence of poor weather at the beginning of last year and difficulties with the site.

?The problems are not serious ? it will still be the fastest build time from planning brief to completion of any hospital in the history of the NHS.?

Dr Nielson said the outside of the building was finished ? contractors were now working on the interior.

Nigel Percival, treasurer of the New Okehampton Hospital Appeal, said the fundraising efforts of the community had been ?remarkable?: ?We are now just short of £190,000. We have another £43,000 in pledges, so we are about £17,000 short of the target.

?In a way it?s a little disappointing as we would have liked to have got to £250,000 by this Christmas, but people have done so well to get us as far as we have ? and Okehampton isn?t a rich area.?

Mr Percival said more than 50% of the money raised so far had been through small fundraising events, like coffee mornings and whist drives.

?With one exception, which was a donation of £25,000 from the Okehampton Non-Ecclesiastical Trust, the majority has been raised by local people working extremely hard on small events - it?s very gratifying that the community is so much behind the project,? he said, adding that he hoped the New Year would see a ?final rush? of people wishing to donate to the appeal.

The new hospital will replace the Castle Hospital and Memorial Hospital in the town.

The Castle Hospital is owned by the Secretary of State for Health ? it is likely to be sold as being surplus to requirements once the new hospital opens.

The Memorial Hospital is owned by Mid Devon Primary Care Trust ? a decision has yet to be made regarding its future.