One man who has lived in Andover for 27 years said he was glad that health chiefs were listening to the public.

"Whether anything happens is another story. But they are engaging in conversation and that's a good thing."

MR Tony Styles was less impressed by the consultation process and was concerned that the trust would do what it wanted to do anyway.

He said: "If they make it fully efficient and geared to the community it serves - and don't just offer us a handful of corn - then that's fine. But I'm still fairly cynical about the consultation process."

A woman visitor to the open day was pleased that the health trust was consulting with the public.

"My first fear was that they were going to close the hospital but Mr Evennett (chief executive) has assured me that they are not going to do that and are going to be investing."

Winchester and Eastleigh NHS Care Trust chief executive Chris Evennett said he too had been approached by members of the public concerned for the future of the hospital.

"We have repeatedly said that the hospital is safe and that we are going to make it a suitable and sustainable facility for the future," he said. "But I don't think people will believe it until they see the investment going in to make it a more modern hospital."

He added that he was pleased with the response to the open day.