A room in the Maiden Bradley Village Hall has been officially opened as a doctor’s surgery, by MP for South West Wiltshire Andrew Murrison and the Duke of Somerset.

Maiden Bradley had no GP surgery, but for the past 26 years Eileen Seal has given up her living room every Monday evening for doctors to use.

Maiden Bradley Memorial Hall, used as a military hospital in the First World War, has now had a room converted to provide the local service.

The conversion – unveiled by the MP and the Duke, John Seymour – cost almost £7,000. It had a grant of £2,300 from the Fudge Foundation and help from the parish council and village fundraisers.

Mel Thomas, chairman of the hall, said: “Everyone has worked their socks off to make this happen and we have now taken a room that wasn’t being used and breathed new life into it.”