People power has forced health officials to take a longer look at controversial plans for East Riding hospital services.

Campaigners welcomed the delay in the decision, crucial to the future of healthcare in the region.

East Riding of Yorkshire NHS Primary Care Trust (PCT) decided on a two-month delay due to the huge public response to its plans.

A public outcry followed the PCT's plan to remove beds from four community hospitals and put them into private care homes.

People in towns and villages across the East Riding have campaigned for months to save beds at Beverley, Driffield, Hornsea and Withernsea hospitals.

The trust held consultation meetings and has been bombarded with more than 3,000 responses.

Campaigner June Barton, from Hornsea Hospital Campaign Group, said: "The fantastic public response has obviously forced the PCT to delay its decision.

"There has been overwhelming opposition to the proposal, which is what was needed for the trust to sit up and take notice.

"The PCT is a body of unelected people, and in a so-called democratic society the wishes of the majority should be observed by these officials."

Mrs Barton, who also represents Hornsea Cottage Hospital League for Friends, is now calling on the PCT to reinstate beds at the hospital until a decision is reached.

She said: "The number of beds at our hospital has recently been reduced from 12 to seven, but there are patients in Hull hospitals waiting to come back to Hornsea to be nearer their families.

"Local hospitals for local people are vital to the fabric of East Riding communities. People power has to win in the end."

The trust had hoped to make a decision on the proposals at its board meeting on Wednesday, but that has been put back to May.

Claire Wood, PCT interim chief executive, said: "The overwhelming response to the consultation proposals means that no recommendations will be made until the board meeting on May 23.

"More than 3,000 responses were received by the PCT and more time is needed given the enormity of the response.

"Almost 1,000 of the responses were received in the last week and due to this and the range of views, we have decided it is right that more time is taken to ensure the feedback is considered properly and thoroughly.

"This is why recommendations will not be presented to the PCT board until May."

More than 16,000 people backed the Mail's Hands Off Our Hospitals campaign, calling for all services at the region's community hospitals to be safeguarded.

Since the latest public consultation started in November, about 700 people have signed a Mail petition against the new plans.

Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart said the delay was good news.

He said: "The PCT's plans were ill thought out and unacceptable to patients, doctors and residents.

"The extent of public concern is shown by the sheer quantity of responses sent by the public.

"Hospital campaigners are not against change and are happy to work with the PCT on an alternative set of proposals.

"What we are clear about, however, is that the current proposals are all unacceptable and must be dropped."

Professor Barbara English, from the Beverley Action Group, said: "My worry is that we will now go into a state of limbo where hospital staff drift away and no money is spent on essentials.

"The PCT really need to give us an assurance so the hospitals can keep recruiting and retaining staff and spend money of the ongoing maintenance.

"The feeling of the public hasn't changed and I would like to know whether the PCT would be prepared to accept more feedback from the public now the announcement has been pushed back."

But Hornsea councillor Barbara Jefferson said she was delighted the trust was going to take the time to fully consider what people think.

"They have got an important job to do and it seems common sense has prevailed. I think the trust has realised it had insufficient time to look at all the responses," he said.