Campaigners are celebrating victory today after they saved services at an East Yorkshire hospital.

They paid tribute to the Mail's Hands Off Our Hospitals campaign after Yorkshire Wolds and Coast Primary Care Trust (PCT) did a U-turn on controversial plans to close Hornsea Cottage Hospital's inpatient ward.

The PCT bowed to the threat of High Court legal action and withdrew the closure plans yesterday.

It had planned to close the ward for on October 1 for six months because of staffing problems. Campaigners had expressed concern the move could have become permanent and that the PCT had not carried out any consultation before making the announcement last Thursday.

Ten of the 22 beds on the ward were closed in January.

Solicitors acting for two patients told the PCT they would apply to the High Court for a judicial review of the proposal if it was not reversed by close of business yesterday.

In a statement, the PCT said it was not in the best interests of staff and patients to become involved in complex and lengthy legal proceedings.

The patients' legal challenge to prevent the closure was organised by Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart, who appealed for patients who would be eligible for legal aid to come forward.

Today Mr Stuart said: "Everybody is delighted the trust has backed down. It's a great victory for hospital campaigners and Hornsea residents.

"The PCT has to realise people are not going to stand for ward closures when they have not been consulted and no alternative services have been put forward.

"We have to work with the PCT to find solutions to its problems, but we will certainly be keeping a close eye to make sure it doesn't pull any fast moves like this in the future."

"This episode has knocked trust and confidence in the PCT, but we must look ahead and help them to provide the best possible health services for East Riding people."

The PCT's statement said: "We believe the decision there should be no further admissions to the inpatient ward at Hornsea Cottage Hospital - as a temporary measure - was

the right decision to make in the interests of clinical, patient and staff safety across the services in the East Riding."

"The workforce pressures on which this decision was based still remain and alternative solutions will now need to be found.

"However, after considering the level of opposition faced and the trust's financial position, we do not feel it is in the best interests of our staff or patients to become involved in complex and lengthy legal proceedings.

"This in our view would not be a good use of public service resources.

"We have decided to focus on developing our longer-term proposals for the future of sustainable services for the East Riding.

"We will continue to involve and engage with our staff, patients and the public on the development of our proposals.

"We anticipate this will culminate in a formal consultation process commencing in November.

"Inpatient admissions will recommence at Hornsea Cottage Hospital and the ward will not close on October 1."

Campaigner June Barton, from Hornsea and District Health Forum, said: "It has been a long week, but the climb-down is excellent news.

"Without the Hands Off Our Hospitals campaign we would not have had such a good result because it has brought the issues to the fore."

John Fleming, regional officer for public sector trade union Unison, which represents some staff at the hospital, said: "Common sense has prevailed, which is not only brilliant news for patients, but also for the staff," he said.