CAMPAIGNERS trying to stop a GP surgery from closing down have hit a snag after a Welsh Parliament committee said it could do no more to support their cause.

Some patients at the Albert Road Surgery had been reassigned to GPs as far away as Dinas Powys, the Penarth Times reported last year.

The move outraged many patients, and more than 300 people signed a petition calling on the Welsh Government to investigate the local health board for its "refusal to keep north Penarth’s surgery, allocating patients to distant GPs".

The Senedd's petitions committee previously took up the campaigners' cause, vowing to write to health minister Eluned Morgan and ask her for more information about the reasons behind the controversial closure.

In response, Ms Morgan said: "I appreciate the additional concerns raised [but] I hope you can understand that I am unable to intervene in this matter as it remains the responsibility of the health board."

The minister's letter effectively means the petitions committee has now run out of options to support the campaigners.

Noting Ms Morgan's "firm response", committee member Rhys ab Owen said: "While I have real sympathy about the difficulty caused by the closure of any GP surgery, I don't think there's anything more this committee can do."

Joel James, another committee member, agreed, but said it was "probably up to us now to link up with the petitioner, as a constituency member or regional member, and see what can be done".