THE decision by Oxfordshire health chiefs to downgrade services at the Horton General Hospital in Banbury has reached one of the highest courts in England as campaigners continue to fight against the changes.

Lawyers for campaign group Keep the Horton General (KTHG) appeared at the Court of Appeal in London on Friday.

The focus of the appeal was the previous dismissal of the unlawfulness claim by KTHG and local councils over the consultation on downgrading services at the Horton General, including the maternity services.

KTHG argued the 2017 public consultation, conducted by Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) was flawed, with local people not given enough information about the impact of the changes.

However, in December 2017 Lord Justice Mostyn ruled against the group who had brought the case, despite the CCG's consultation being heavily criticised.

Read again: Hopes over restoring a full maternity ward at Horton slip away as judge throws out appeal

The case was put before Sir Terence Etherton (the second-most senior judge in England and Wales), Lord Justice McCombe and Lord Justice Lindblom.

"We have always maintained that the people of Banburyshire should have had a bigger say in health provision planning as is required under existing law.”

Speaking after the hearing KTHG’s legal lead, Peter McLoughlin said: “This shows the importance with which it is being treated especially as on the same day the Heathrow expansion appeal appeared under less senior judges.

"We have always maintained that the people of Banburyshire should have had a bigger say in health provision planning as is required under existing law.”

Lord Justice Etherton acknowledged that the case was 'very important to a great many local people'.

The Court of Appeal is the highest court within the Senior Courts of England and Wales, and second in the legal system of England and Wales only to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.

The case continues.