THE town's independent health watchdog has said it was very disappointed to hear the news the GP surgery on Barrowhall Lane is to become a children’s nursery.

Signs went up outside the former Sankey Medical Centre building last month after patients were told they would have to travel to Orford to see their GP.

Elaine Packer, Healthwatch manager in Warrington, said: “We have made strong protests to NHS England who commission GP services.

“When this all happened Healthwatch Warrington informed the commissioners that patients hadn’t been consulted on the change and couldn’t get onto local lists and it was following this that NHS England instructed the local surgeries to open their lists.

“We will continue to press NHS England to replace services locally and we have pushed for consultation.

“We aim to ensure that as many people in the affected areas get their voice heard and will be contacting NHS England to ensure that we are kept fully informed of the details of this consultation.”