GAZETTE & HERALD: GP Barney Williams yesterday emerged triumphant from Gloucester Royal Infirmary having won an appeal over his suspension after just the first morning of a two-day hearing.

Dr Williams, who was sacked for failing to provide out of hours cover for his patients at Marshfield Road Surgery, reached a settlement at the hearing and has been reinstated as an NHS doctor after a long battle with Kennet and North Wiltshire primary care trust.

Dr Williams was pushed out of the NHS when the PCT refused to renew his contract in February this year but the doctor and his loyal patients have continued to lobby for his reinstatement.

The high profile campaign included a dramatic mourning march through Chippenham and a trip by patients to the House of Commons with a petition.

A minibus of local supporters accompanied Dr Williams and his wife Avril to the hearing yesterday but the warring parties reached a settlement and the maverick GP will be open for business as usual, as an NHS GP, within weeks.

As part of the agreement Dr Williams will have to take on his out-of -hours responsibilities in the short term until new arrangements mean the PCT will be responsible for all such provision.

Cedric Norton, chairman of the Friends of Marshfield Road Surgery, said he was over the moon.

"We've been fighting for this for nearly two years now," he said. "We always maintained Barney hadn't done anything wrong. All the campaigning was worthwhile and I am sure it helped the case."