BEDS axed at a New Forest hospital will remain closed for at least another five months, a public meeting was told.

Members of New Forest Primary Care Trust said the 20 beds at the Fenwick Hospital, Lyndhurst, would not reopen until October at the earliest.

The meeting, attended by about 300 people, was called to discuss the future of the Fenwick and four other community hospitals in the area.

As previously reported in the Daily Echo, the trust's new community services strategy includes five options, one of which would involve the closure of all 91 beds at the five sites.

The controversial document will be the subject of a major public consultation exercise in the Forest.

John Richards, the trust's chief executive, told the meeting that the Fenwick beds would remain closed until the outcome of the consultation was known.

The beds were axed earlier this year in what was described as a temporary move to beat staff shortages.

Trust officials stressed that the move had resulted in bed occupancy rates at other hospitals rising from 70 per cent to 90 per cent.

However, the news that the Fenwick beds will remain closed for a further five months angered New Forest East MP Dr Julian Lewis.

He said: "It's absolutely clear to me that the primary care trust does not have the slightest intention of allowing them to reopen."

In a statement issued after the meeting, Mr Richards said: "The trust is currently considering the future of all local community services.

"It would be inappropriate to undertake short-term measures involving further upheaval until the outcome of the consultation on the community services strategy is known.

"No final decision about the future of the Fenwick Hospital will be made until we have consulted our staff, stakeholders and the public."