DOCTORS have won their seven-year campaign to replace Didcot Health Centre, which will be knocked down next month.

Plans for the new £4m health centre, to serve 16,500 people in and around the town, were unveiled at a patient interest meeting last week.

Patients heard that demolition of the Britwell Road health centre is due to start soon after the May Bank holiday.

GPs will move to a temporary surgery near the Civic Hall. It will take a year to redevelop the site and the new centre will open in May 2008.

Practice manager Dr Jackie Mercer said: "We are very relieved that the contract is signed. It will make a lot of people very happy.

"Now we just have to cope with the transition period. It's good that the temporary buildings will be nearby, so people won't have to go to a new place."

The building will include a pharmacy, consulting rooms, waiting room and patient messaging service.