AN AT-risk city walk in centre appears to have been given a late reprieve after health bosses bowed to public pressure not to close it.

Plans were in place to shut Bitterne Walk-In-Centre for six months and use its resources in GP practices and community care across Southampton.

But tonight Southampton City Clinical Commissioning Group and Solent NHS Trust said they would try to find ways to fund both after the plans suffered a barrage of criticism at a packed public meeting.

A city council health overview and scrutiny panel recommended the CCG either hold a public consultation before implementing the pilot project or put it off until after the general election to avoid it being politicised.

Cllr Matthew Stevens, chairman of the panel, said: "It's been quite clearly stated this evening that what we would like to see is consultation first, and if we can do it quickly, then great. If it cannot be done then there should be a postponement."

CCG bosses apologised for unveiling the plans so close to the start date but said the pilot was intended to make it easier to get quick appointments at GP practices while improving community care for the elderly and vulnerable.

Chief executive John Richards said the group would "respect and abide" by the panel's recommendation and try to find funding for both and make a final decision at a meeting in November.

He said: "If we can magic some money up to pursue both the pilot without closing the centre then we will have to look at that but at the moment I cannot see how we are going to manage to do that.

"But we will absolutely take away the comments from this meeting and see if we can have our cake and eat it. That potentially enables us to come to a post election period where there is an opportunity to consult on this in the way people have described tonight."