A fight to reinstate a hospital helipad is being stepped up.

Campaigners gathered at Worthing Hospital to urge patients and staff to join the battle, saying it could increase the chance of saving a person's life.

The helipad was closed two years ago when the hospital needed the space for car parking and helicopters were forced to land at nearby Homefield Park instead.

There was also some safety concerns from residents nearby although the site has been fully checked and assessed by Sussex Police.

The existing arrangement means an ambulance has to be on standby at the park to receive the patient and drive around to the hospital's accident and emergency department.

If an air ambulance was able to land in the helipad, it would only take a couple of minutes for the patient to be transferred to A&E.

The fight is being backed by the Keep Worthing and Southlands Hospitals (Kwash) campaign, which is fighting to protect A&E, maternity and other services at Worthing.

Worthing, St Richard's Hospital in Chichester and the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath are at risk of losing vital services following a major public consultation being launched later this year.

The changes could mean patients having to travel further to already busy hospitals such as the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton for urgent treatment.

Campaigners say having a helipad on site will help boost Worthing's fight for survival.

Kwash member and Worthing mayor Tom Wye said: "We fully support the call to have the helipad reinstated.

"We have always said that when a person is seriously ill every moment counts so having an air ambulance able to land so close to A&E will help save precious seconds.

"It is vital Worthing is able to continue to use its A&E to the best of its ability."

Hospital nurse and Unison representative Nicole Murphy is leading the fight for the helipad and is backed by the Sussex Air Ambulance service.

She said: "The staff who are supporting this move regularly go beyond the call of duty.

"Safe transfer of patients is crucial in an emergency situation and knowing that there is safe place for the helicopter to land is absolutely essential."

A hospital spokeswoman said the trust was interested in reinstating the helipad and was looking into how it could be done.

She said issues such as car parking needed to be looked at.

The Sussex Air Ambulance service, set up by Kent Air Ambulance, will be flying from a base near the Surrey/Sussex border from June as well as from its existing base near Maidstone.

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