A CHILTON doctors' surgery is to stay open for the time being.

Fears were expressed by the local residents' association that the Ferryhill and Chilton Medical Practice, in Durham Road, was to move, causing problems for elderly patients.

Doctors say they had been considering moving the surgery to a new site in Windlestone, but the move has now been discounted.

Dr Andrew Oakenfull said: "We have no current plans to move. We're staying exactly where we are."

He said: "It is something that we have been considering because the building we have now is not ideal.

"The building is fine as it is at the moment, but in ten years' time it will probably need a lot of work doing to it."

Dr Oakenfull said there had been discussion with the Sure Start group, which is looking at nursery provision in the village, with a view to moving to the junior school site.

But he said: "That's a non-starter. I would like to think that, at some stage, we could provide services from better premises in Chilton. But we have no intention of moving out of Chilton, and the actual location of the current site is ideal."

Margaret Taylor, of the Chilton West Residents' Association, said: "It would be ideal if they could have a bigger building and a more secure building, but you've got to think of the people, and we were deeply worried about it.

"We have an elderly population this side of the village. They have a bus in Windlestone, but in Chilton they can't do it because the streets are too narrow and it would have meant a 20 minute walk."