Protesters get the hump in hospital beds demo

Baxter is a 12-year-old Bactrian camel, and joined the protesters outside County Hall who want to see in-patient beds inside the new Ellen Badger Hospital, which is currently being built

A camel has joined a protest calling for in-patient beds to be returned to a hospital in a Warwickshire town.

A group gathered outside Shire Hall, Warwick alongside Baxter the camel - star of films and TV shows - in support of a campaign to return community beds to the Ellen Badger Hospital in Shipston-on-Stour.

The protest has been backed by Joseph's Amazing Camels, a business in Idlicote, just outside Shipston.

NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) said it is "carefully considering" its decision on the location of its in-patients beds.

A new hospital building is currently being built in Shipston, but it is only expected to provide out-patient care.

The integrated care board is currently consulting on how their community beds - for patients who are discharged from a central hospital, but are not yet fit enough to go home - will be organised.

A report said both the board and South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT) favour plans to retain 35 in-patient beds at their hospitals in Stratford and Leamington Spa, rather than returning 12 beds to the new Ellen Badger Hospital, which is currently under construction.

Dr Sarah Jarvis, who lives near the town, said: "Rural community hospitals like the Ellen Badger perform a vital role in local primary care, easing the pressure on district general hospitals, reducing waiting and travel time.

"We must highlight the need for the facilities the growing South Warwickshire community requires and needs."

Baxter the camel joined protesters like Alasdair Elliott

Rebecca Fossett, co-owner of Joseph's Amazing Camels, said: "We live locally so this campaign makes a difference to us.

"Having a camel here is different, it's novel and it's bringing attention to what is an important campaign."

The group gathered to hand a petition to Warwickshire County Council's adult health overview & scrutiny committee, which is due to review the plans at a meeting later.

A spokesperson from the integrated care board said that in 2024, only 15 of the 550 people using community rehabilitation beds were from Shipston.

"We have made a final decision and will carefully consider all the information received as part of this public consultation," they said.

"When making decisions about the delivery of services in South Warwickshire we need to look at the impact across the whole of our area"