Staff shortages have led to a cut to the times residents can get an x-ray at Stroud Hospital, to the dismay of campaigners.

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has reduced the hours of the county's radiology departments in order to shore up staffing at its interventional imaging facilities in Gloucester and Cheltenham.

While all Gloucestershire residents are able to receive this treatment, the relocation has meant Stroud Hospital's radiology hours have been cut from 46 hours a week to 40 hours a week.

This means the facility willl only conduct x-rays on weekdays and no longer on the weekend and bank holidays.

Campaign group Stroud Against the Cuts has criticised the change, with a spokesperson saying: "More of the burden is going to fall on Gloucester and Cheltenham's hospitals.

"And people will have to travel further and be inconvenienced."

A spokesperson for the Trust said the change was "regrettable but unavoidable".

"We have worked hard with our partners to ensure that every locality retains access to X-ray and in a way that doesn’t impact on other services such as outpatients and minor injury services," they said.

“These temporary changes mean we can continue to provide life-saving interventional radiology services (24/7) at Cheltenham General and Gloucestershire Royal Hospitals."