CAMPAIGNERS turned out in their droves at the weekend to mark 100 weeks of Saturday demonstrations since the closure of Chorley Hospital’s A & E department in April 2016.

More than 60 bikers, hundreds of residents, local councillors, Chorley MP Lindsay Hoyle and MP Justin Madders (Labour Shadow Health Minister) attended the event to support the campaign.

Protestors lined Euxton Lane whilst passing motorists showed their support and the bikers turned up to stage a drive by, revving their engines in support of the campaign.

Kim Snape Labour prospective Parliamentary candidate for South Ribble, who was also in attendance, said: “The people of Chorley and South Ribble have stood hand in hand, week on week in all weathers at the hospital gates to campaign for the re-instatement of a 24/7 accident and emergency department.

“I have been very proud to support them. With the strong leadership and support of Chorley MP Sir Lindsay Hoyle we are now half way with a part time A & E department.

“We will not stop until we see the return of a 24/7 Accident and Emergency Department.”

Sue Holdsworth, press officer for the Protect Chorley Hospital from Cuts and Privatisation Campaign group. was delighted with the support by the community on the day.

She said: “There were lots of new faces and support from campaigns in Stoke, Huddersfield, Lancaster, Blackpool and another five or more areas.

“It was great to have local council support and also Lindsay Hoyle with us as much as possible which is fantastic.

“The general public and everybody needs to wake up and realise what is at stake.

“The NHS 70th birthday on July 5, it may be its last if we don’t keep fighting.

“Services are being eroded and pound efficiency savings mean cuts, but contracts are being handed over to private sector that used to be available at local hospitals, or are no longer available at all.

“There is money wasted on management consultants and more layers of management whilst frontline clinical staff are fewer and fewer, under pressure and burned out. We all need to stand up and be counted, apply pressure and save our NHS and local hospitals.”

Mr Hoyle said: “This shows the strength of feeling of people in Chorley and South Ribble and how central A&E is to the community that they have been turning up for 100 weeks to campaign.”