FRIENDS of Pershore Hospital are absolutely delighted with the plans for a new hospital in the town and have dismissed fears about parking problems.

After attending consultation meetings in the town on the proposals, Michael Amies, of The Friends, described the plans as very imaginative and he particularly praised the roof garden aspect which would allow patients to go outside.

They were also very pleased the plans included expansion of the Abbotswood Centre and expansion of services in Pershore generally.

On the car parking issue, Mr Amies said there would be a need for 65 car spaces and through a variety of measures provision was being made for an additional 125 spaces in the town, including some adjacent to the hospital.

"Our hospital is not like the acute hospital in Worcester," he said. "I have never seen the car park at the current hospital in Defford Road full."

He said traffic calming measures and improvements to traffic arrangements would all help visitors to the new hospital.

"The Friends have a decent sum of money - £400,000 - which will allow the new hospital to be well equipped," Mr Amies said. "We are looking to an opening in the summer of 2006 which gives us another 18 months to raise another good chunk of money."