Villagers campaigning against plans to close doctors' surgeries in Wrington and Churchill and build a new £3 million medical centre in Langford have handed a petition to health chiefs objecting to the move.

The Save our Surgeries (SOS) action group handed over the 702-name petition to the chairman of NHS North Somerset, Stephen Harrison, at a trust board meeting.

The SOS group has been campaigning against the plans to close Wrington Vale Medical Practices in the two villages and build a new medical centre at Pudding Pie Lane in Langford.

If the move goes ahead it will mean patients, many of whom are elderly, will have to travel three miles to see their doctor. There are also concerns the closure will have a knock-on effect on the economy in both villages.

Residents say the £3m earmarked for the new surgery would be better spent on investing and improving the two current village facilities.

SOS member Jeremy Birkett said: "This petition demonstrates the opposition to proposed closure of the surgery, and we hope NHS North Somerset takes this into account when making its decision.

"Closing a thriving surgery makes no sense in terms of health care, and people's health will suffer.

"Not everyone has access to a car and public transport is limited.

"NHS North Somerset should use taxpayers' money to enlarge both existing surgeries to ensure the viability of the practice in the longer term."

He added: "We are worried if the proposal is approved, it will prove detrimental to the whole area if there is a knock-on effect for the local chemists and village shops.

"Wrington is a large village, and has many families with young children and older people who use the surgery frequently."

Health bosses say the merger will ease the patient strain on doctors and enable an expansion in services.

The new two-storey medical centre will have 11 consulting rooms, a creche as well as an in-house pharmacy.

It will serve the 9,200 patients currently registered at the two village practices.

Wrington Parish Council is also concerned at the proposals and has written to NHS bosses and Woodspring MP Dr Liam Fox, who has backed the residents' concerns.

A consultation on the plans for the new surgery ends on March 13.

Mr Birkett added: "So far the consultation has been flawed, and seems to support the case for closure, rather than fairly examining other options.

"We urge patients to complete the consultation document and tell NHS North Somerset what they think."

A spokesman for NHS North Somerset said the proposed surgery building was necessary in order to accommodate and provide the required breadth and quality of health care services.