Hospital campaigners have raised enough money to take a decision to invest millions of pounds into Watford General Hospital to court.

The New Hospital Campaign (NHC), which has been calling for a brand new hospital, rather than refurbishment at Watford, needed to raise £20,000 to mount a judicial review against Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group (HVCCG).

The campaigners claim that HVCCG and West Herts Hospital NHS Trust (WHHT) did not hold a "full consultation" before choosing to retain A&E facilities in Watford and spending the bulk of a £350 million investment in the town's hospital.

In September, the government announced that WHHT would receive a £400 million investment to improve its facilities.

The NHC want a new central location for a hospital that is more accessible to patients in St Albans and Hemel Hempstead, as well as Watford.

Despite NHS bosses choosing not to go down this route, the campaigners have not given up and are now awaiting a date at the High Court for a full hearing after raising £20,000.

Edie Glatter, of the NHC, said: "We would like to thank the local community for their huge support and generosity and everyone who has helped to spread the word.

"You have made it possible for us to reach yet another milestone, following the boost we got a few weeks ago when a judge granted us permission to bring the case

"It is essential that the local health bodies now run a full and fair consultation including taking a serious look at building a new hospital on a clear site that everyone in West Hertfordshire can get to.

"It is the only way our local hospital provision can be transformed as it truly needs to be because it is in far worse condition than that of most other areas."

A spokeswoman for Herts Valleys CCG said: "‘We at Herts Valleys CCG, together with colleagues at West Herts Hospitals Trust, were very pleased with the recent announcement of funding for plans to carry out extensive redevelopment of current hospital facilities.

"We are waiting for further details and we are also defending the judicial review claim brought by a group of local campaigners."