A WAR of words has broken out between two Meirionnydd communities over claims that the health board favours “more anglicised” areas.

Furious health campaigners in the Ffestiniog area claim they are being “racially discriminated against” by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and the Welsh Government in favour of more “anglicised” areas in Meirionnydd.

In a heated letter to the First Minister Carwyn Jones, members of the Blaenau Ffestiniog Memorial Hospital Defence Committee accused him of ignoring the “very real healthcare concerns” in north Meirionnydd.

The community action group, determined to see inpatient beds returned to Blaenau Ffestiniog, also claimed Mr Jones was allowing Betsi Cadwaladr to “discriminate against their predominantly Welsh-speaking area in favour of the more anglicised and more affluent coastal regions”.

The letter went on to suggest that Tywyn’s newly redeveloped £5m hospital enjoys far more facilities than Blaenau Ffestiniog’s forthcoming £3.9m development, despite the fact that both communities share broadly similar healthcare requirements.

But Morgan Vaughan, one of those at the forefront of the campaign for Tywyn’s new hospital, who is also chair of the Tywyn and District Memorial Hospital Appeal Fund was outraged by the claims and hit back.

“I’ve thought for a couple of years now that there was a level of jealousy between Ffestiniog and Tywyn,” Mr Vaughan, 87, told the Cambrian News.

“We’ve fought tooth and nail, but always fairly, for our new hospital development since 2005 and we’re very pleased with the result.

“And yes, Tywyn is more anglicised now than it was before but we have everything someone would want so people enjoy moving here. We welcome the English with open arms as we always have.”

Read the full story in today’s Meirionnydd edition of the Cambrian News