CAMPAIGNERS have won their battle to keep the Selby War Memorial Hospital name.

Health chiefs have backed down over plans to drop the “war” reference from the title of the town’s new hospital, set to open in June, after a massive show of people power.

More than 1,700 people who took part in a referendum voted for the Doncaster Road building to be called the New Selby War Memorial Hospital, with only 116 choosing the alternative, Selby Community Hospital.

The campaign was led by the Fraternitie of Olde Selebians, who said the history of the hospital, founded through donations in memory of Selby men killed in the First World War, must be respected.

Fraternitie member Peter Palmer said: “We’re very, very pleased that the people of Selby have overwhelmingly voted against the community hospital name.

“We still feel the word ‘new’ should not be included and would prefer it to simply be the Selby War Memorial Hospital. However, that was the only other option and the former name will be retained in some form.

“The name has been a large part of the historic fabric of Selby for more than 85 years. Subscriptions to build the hospital raised £16,000 – £500,000 in today’s terms – because Selby residents wanted a memorial which would help the living rather than a piece of stone with names on.

“The hospital and its name are enshrined in Selby’s history. We were loath to lose it.”

The hospital is part of the £22 million Selby Community Project between NHS North Yorkshire and York and Selby District Council, which also includes a new civic centre.

The health trust’s chief executive, Jayne Brown, said: “We were so moved by the depth of feeling in Selby that we wanted to give people a chance to have their say.

“We are very much aware of the importance of the war memorial legacy in the hospital’s history and will soon be publishing details of how we plan to preserve and recognise this in addition to the new name.”

Alan Rose, chairman of York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We’d like to thank all those who took the trouble to vote, and by adopting this name we not only recognise the war memorial legacy but also acknowledge this is a new development.”

Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams said: “It is great news the people of Selby have had their say and we have ensured this historic name, which means so much, will live on.”