HEALTH Secretary Jeremy Hunt's car was pelted with flour when he visited Stroud General Hospital this afternoon.

Campaigners from Stroud Against the Cuts, Keep Gloucestershire’s NHS Public and other groups lined the pavement outside the hospital and attempted to ask the government minister a number of questions about local issues of concern.

However, members of the public were thwarted in their attempts to speak to Hunt, as his car was driven to the rear entrance of the hospital and he was quickly bundled inside just after 1.30pm.

Speaking to the SNJ during the rally NHS campaigner with Stroud Against the Cuts, Caroline Molloy explained why so many people were present: “Next month Jeremy Hunt will become the longest serving Health Secretary – there’s no one else that he can blame for the crisis in the NHS that’s occurring under his watch.

"[Hospitals] are ours and people are here because they know that they need to protect them."

The majority of the campaigners decided to remain outside the hospital during Jeremy Hunt's visit, which lasted during under an hour, but he declined to speak to those gathered outside as he left.

One protester, James Beecher, was arrested after throwing flour over the minister's car as he left the hospital.

"He clearly wasn't interested in talking to us during the visit, so as he left I wanted to make sure that he was aware of the strength of opinion locally, about what he is doing to the NHS."

A police spokesperson said: "A man has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage after a bag of flour was thrown at a car outside Stroud General Hospital at about 3pm today, Friday, April 27.

"No further details available about the man at the moment or whether a formal complaint has been made."

Mr Hunt's office has been contacted for a statement.