The Scarborough Ward at Skegness Hospital shut on Tuesday to save cash and was to open again in April 2006.

But East Lindsey District Council is hoping to find funding to reopen the ward earlier.

The plan was announced at a public meeting in front of about 500 campaigners on Monday night.

East Lindsey District Council leader Jeremy Webb said: "We've made it clear this is not something we're going to be doing regularly. We're not going to be bailing the NHS out.

"But this is a one-off, it's a very important issue for us because we are desperately short of hospitals, doctors and care.

"And we have a population whose age, compared to the rest of Lincolnshire and the rest of England, doesn't enjoy good health and we have a most appalling transport infrastructure."