A hospital has overturned a ban on home-baked cakes from the Women's Institute (WI) after deciding that they do not pose a health risk, it emerged today.

There was uproar when Uttlesford primary care trust (PCT) claimed that the home-baked cakes could be potentially dangerous to elderly patients at Saffron Walden community hospital. The Radwinter WI members contacted newspapers in protest at the ban, and after two days of campaigning succeeded in convincing the hospital to reinstate the cakes with "immediate effect".

A trust spokeswomen said: "Having examined the issue in greater depth, Uttlesford PCT has taken the view that the negligible risk to patients is greatly outweighed by the pleasure they can give."

The secretary of the Radwinter WI, Carol LeClercq, said she was overjoyed with the news, and was going to contact her group members to let them know. "All that publicity paid off and it has worked. It all started from just one letter and it worked. What a great day," she added.

Ms LeClercq said on Wednesday the WI felt a "little bit insulted" after their cakes were banned. She argued that the alternative to the home-baked cakes would be manufactured ones that are less nutritious. "We made cakes which were particularly suitable for elderly people. This just goes against common sense."

With the ban now overturned, the Radwinter WI can return to baking 12 cakes a month for afternoon tea at the hospital.