CAMPAIGNERS who have spent 13 weeks protesting the closure of Chorley's A&E unit say they are 'sceptical' it will re-open next month.

On Saturday morning, campaigners turned out in force despite the weather for their 13th week of demonstrations against the temporary closure of Chorley and South Ribble A&E.

The hospital was downgraded to an urgent care centre in April due to a doctor shortage after a pay cap on agency staff was imposed.

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS say they are 'actively recruiting doctors and hoped to open in August.

Steven Turner, one of the campaign organisers, said: "The trust management team say they will issue a statement on August 2 and hope to reopen our A&E service, we are sceptical.

"The resolve of the people of Chorley & South Ribble is as strong as ever to reinforce our message, 'reopen our A&E department'.

"There remains a serious differences on the effect of the temporary closure of our A&E, management saying there has been little effect on other A&E departments in Blackburn, Wigan and Preston, but we have captured patients experiences which tell a different story. "

"We call for an immediate independent review of the effect on patient outcomes now."

The trust said it needs more doctors to safely staff the department.

It has been allocated seven trainee doctors who should be available in August but they will not know until then how many of them will actually be available for work.

It's most recent statement said: "We have been doing everything possible to recruit enough middle grade doctors to enable the emergency department at Chorley to be reinstated.

"If we achieve that staffing position we hope to be able to reinstate the department from the end of August; however we can’t give any guarantees as this depends on a number of factors.

"Whilst we continue to make every effort to secure all the doctors we need, if we do not have the right number we won’t be able to reinstate the department in August."