IT was more than an ordinary Open Day — it was something of a celebration.

Winsford Hospital is soon to become the centre of the community again and on Saturday the public was invited to come in and have a look around.

It is back in the ownership of local people and now with contracts signed the Winsford Trust has the task of getting the building ready to reopen. Work on a multi-use community facility is already underway.

Thanks to numerous donations the huge challenge of finding the £168,000 to buy the building from the Northern Devon Healthcare Trust was reached in nine months.

The majority of the money was acquired from national charitable trusts but West Devon and Torridge MP John Burnett raised £20,000 from events in the House of Commons, SWEB chipped in with a large amount and many donations were received from individuals.

Its life ended as a hospital in August 1998 during a cost cutting exercise by the local health authority after a six-year battle by the League of Friends to keep it open.

But now the building will offer a range of services including a doctor's surgery, day care centre, chiropody and aromatherapy clinic.

Campaigner Sandra Willetts said the support and encouragement from local people made the Friends realise they were doing the right thing to fight for Winsford.

'The support showed that Winsford was wanted, needed and part of Halwill and it would be tragic if it was lost,' she said.

'Althought it will not have any in-patient beds, it will still provide the sort of service the original benefactor intended which is something we have tried to keep as part of the project all along.'

And so on Saturday people were invited to come along and talk to the Trust members about the plans for Winsford.

More ideas are being invited for using the former hospital to the maximum benefit of the community.

Mrs Willetts said: 'Anything that is going to help people fulfill their lives is good as far as we are concerned — well being is not just about healthcare so we need to address the social and welfare side as well.'