Campaigners fighting to protect hospital services have warned there is a tough battle ahead.

Long-awaited proposals on a shake up of the NHS in West Sussex are expected to be published next month in preparation for a major public consultation.

It is widely expected all the proposals put forward in a joint consultation by West Sussex Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Brighton and Hove City PCT will only allow for one major general hospital across the county instead of the existing three.

The major site is likely to be either Worthing Hospital or St Richard's Hospital in Chichester with services such as accident and emergency, intensive care and maternity downgraded at the other.

The Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, which already transfers emergency operations down to Brighton, could lose all of its acute work.

Smaller hospitals like Southlands in Shoreham are also expected to lose services.

Campaigners warn lives will be put at risk and hospitals such as the already overstretched Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton will not be able to cope with demand.

Members of the three hospital campaigns, Keep Worthing and Southlands Hospitals (Kwash), Support St Richards and Support the PRH say the county needs two fully-functioning hospitals to cover its population of 760,000.

They are calling for volunteers and supporters to help with organising awareness events planned for the summer to help keep up the pressure.

In a statement on its website the Kwash group said: "When these proposals are published it is essential the Kwash campaign moves up a gear and everyone pitches in.

"We need as many people as possible to respond to the consultation with their own real life experiences of how they would be affected by any downgrading or closure.

"The PCT itself will be holding a series of public meetings and it is essential they are well attended."

Kwash and the other groups are organising a series of awareness events over the next few months This includes a picnic on the prom and party in the park in Worthing and Shoreham on May 26.

Organisers are particularly keen to hear from people who were born or gave birth at Worthing or Southlands to help with a mass demonstration.

Other attractions on the day being considered include a lookalike contest for the campaign's Nurse Sunshine logo, a novelty bed push race from Southlands to Worthing, a raft race in the sea from Splash Point to Worthing Pier and stalls and sideshows.

The events will be able to go ahead if enough volunteers are found to organise them.

There are also plans for a sponsored relayed bed push from Sussex to Westminster to present the petitions organised by all three campaign groups and this will be spread over several days.

A Kwash spokesman said: "There is a lot to do but we need lots of volunteers to make it happen so please offer your time however little you may have available.

"This is going to be a long fight but the Kwash campaign has won excellent support and publicity so far and together we will win. So make sure you are doing your bit to help."