There was good news for Watford General Hospital in October, as the Government announced West Herts Hospitals Trust would receive £400 million in investment.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock revealed the trust would be one of six to benefit from £2.7 billion funding, and Watford MP Richard Harrington said the trust would get £400 million.

The trust and Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group had been calling for a £350 million investment - the bulk of which would be spent on refurbishing and rebuilding Watford General Hospital.

A ‘delighted’ Richard Harrington MP said: “I’m delighted that the staff at Watford General will now have the full financial support and resources that they need to deliver worldclass, specialist care to people in our community."

But the campaign for a new hospital in south west Hertfordshire has won the first stage of a legal challenge.

The New Hospital Campaign has received High Court approval for a judicial review application so that Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) can consider a new hospital building instead of plans to renovate Watford General, St Albans City and Hemel Hempstead hospitals.

A recent report by the group quoted Robert Scott, a construction expert, who stated the cost impact of the proposed project is much greater than building a new hospital on a clear central site.

Mr Scott also said he felt the option to build a new hospital was “terminated prematurely.”

And a man died and two passengers were seriously injured when a car crashed in Watford town centre.

The white Audi smashed into a tree shortly after 5am on October 22, near the entrance to Watford Town Hall car park.

The driver died at the scene and the two other people were rushed to hospital. Their injuries were described as serious.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said an unmarked police car had attempted to pull the Audi over after receiving a call that the vehicle had been seen driving erratically, but the Audi drove off.

The IOPC understands that a few minutes later, police officers came across the crashed Audi in Hempstead Road.