The Women of Dartmouth and District group has ended its two week campaign against the closure of Dartmouth and Kingswear Hospital and is planning ahead for a day of protest in August.

Over the two weeks in July, the women chained themselves to the railings of the former cottage hospital and encouraged the public to write in chalk on the bricks of the hospital wall.

Two sides of the wall are now filled with signatures and messages to the NHS staff, patients, bosses and even Sarah Wollaston.

The group invited anyone to come and sign a brick on Thursday, July 19, and Friday, July 20.

The group commented on Thursday, July 19: “Please come down and claim your brick for your family or a loved one.”

Taking it in turns, starting on Monday, July 9, the group ensured someone was chained to the hospital from the early hours of the morning to late at night for two weeks.

A spokesman from the group said: “The multi-coloured protest art is to remind this Government that the Hospital and the NHS belong to the public and is not for profiteers to asset strip for their own gain.

The group has said the campaign will continue with a day of protest planned in August of which more details will follow shortly.

“We wish to thank everyone who came to support us and share their stories” added the spokesman.

“We have learnt that across the board the public and NHS staff want our hospital reopened. That our NHS staff have been gagged from speaking out and our oldest residents are being treated appallingly with many stories of very senior citizens being shipped out of town to unfamiliar places in isolation.

“These are very worrying times for many, but the fantastic support and encouragement from the public and protest groups shows that we can do great things when we all come together.”

The group said they wished to thank the Save Our Hospital Services South Devon group for its continued support.

Anyone interested in joining the group or helping with the protest day please visit the Women of Dartmouth and District Facebook page.