SWINDON'S new hospital should be called The Great Western Hospital.

That was the overwhelming result of a poll carried out by This is Wiltshire and the Evening Advertiser.

More than half the readers who responded to our telephone and online vote said the £148 million building at Commonhead should reflect the town's railway heritage.

The decision will not be made until next month, and there is still chance for you to have your say by post or on our website.

But the result places The Great Western Hospital as the clear favourite.

The hospital, which will replace Princess Margaret Hospital, will open in November 2002.

It will have fewer beds than PMH but will be supported by a network of intermediate care units which will allow beds at the new hospital to be freed up more quickly.

The Great Western Hospital was one of a shortlist of five drawn up by the Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust, which runs the PMH.

The second favourite, polling a quarter of the vote, was Swindon District Hospital.

The result is sure to be welcomed by Swindon's mayor Arthur Archer and Borough Council leader Sue Bates, who both declared the name to be their favourite.

As a former railwayman, Mr Archer said Great Western was the obvious choice, while Sue Bates said the name reflected Swindon's railway heritage and the name of the town's first hospital, which was built by GWR for its workers.

The shortlist of names was drawn up by Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust following a survey of staff. The trust will announce the successful name at its board meeting on January 26, 2001.

Click here to cast your vote, or see the latest results. Votes must be placed by January 18.