The decision to start a campaign was made at a meeting of Ashfield District Council's Hucknall Area Consultative Group.

Support is being sought from the Better Health for Hucknall group to lobby the Nottinghamshire County Teaching Primary Care Trust (PCT).

Councillors and residents at the meeting were furious about the snub last month for Hucknall in the race for a new state-of-the-art health centre.

The town was one of three locations suggested as possible sites for the GP-led venue, which will be open 12 hours every day of the year and have at least one GP and one nurse available all day.

The PCT decided last month to launch the centre at a location in Mansfield or elsewhere in Ashfield, rather than Hucknall, with Newark the other area to lose out.

Cyril Thomas, chairman of Hucknall Seniors Forum, said: "The town is getting swamped with houses, yet doctors' surgeries here close at 6 pm on weekdays and do not open at weekends.

"This town should get together and do something to set up an emergency surgery. We should go independent if necessary."

Coun Louise Bradshaw, a Lib Dem member of Ashfield Council for Hucknall, said PCT backing was needed to provide doctors and nurses. But she added: "It is a suggestion that can be looked at."

Coun John Wilmott, a Hucknall Labour member of Ashfield Council, praised campaigners who battled unsuccessfully for the town to get the state-of-the-art centre.

He said they had put their case very forcefully but Hucknall seemed to be regarded as a 'Cinderella' as far as health services were concerned.

Coun Wilmott added: "Hucknall had a very strong case and it is incredible that the town got turned down. I am so disappointed."

Another Ashfield Labour member for Hucknall, Coun Dave Shaw, thought things were already stacked against the town before the crucial decision was made.

He said only 32 people had responded to a consultation questionnaire sent out across the whole PCT area. But 28 of these were from Hucknall.