Young Paul Thomasoo was so disgusted by plans to close a casualty unit, he has donated some of his pocket money to hospital supporters.

Paul, 13, read our exclusive stories about plans to downgrade the accident and emergency department at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath to an urgent treatment centre.

Under the controversial proposals, crash victims and some other emergency patients would be taken to Redhill or the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton instead of to Haywards Heath.

Paul, who lives in Fields End Close, Haywards Heath, and attends St Paul's Catholic College in the town, wrote: "It is terrible to even consider the Princess Royal Hospital's A&E department being closed down.

"The A&E department is very important and saves many lives. It is an asset to the community of Haywards Heath.

"There have been many times that I, or someone I know, required urgent medical assistance and were lucky to have a hospital so close to home.

"If the Princess Royal A&E is shut down, the nearest A&E is 25 to 40 minutes away in Brighton or Redhill. People could die in this time.

"Although I'm only 13, I am very aware and concerned of the important things in the area. The A&E is important and I'm all for it staying open."

Ernest Wood, spokesman for the hospital's league of friends - whose president Dame Vera Lynn has branded the proposals "crazy" - said of Paul's letter and donation: "Words fail me. A lad that does that deserves credit."

Avril Malins, of Hillcrest, Westdene, Brighton, wrote to say the proposals were "absurd", particularly in view of heavy traffic in and around Brighton.

She said: "The delays which will inevitably occur if Haywards Heath patients face a journey into Brighton will be fatal for some patients.

"Brighton General Hospital is soon to close down and all their acute services are to be transferred to the Royal Sussex County Hospital as well.

"I would expect that all this extra commitment would bring the Brighton services to the edge of total collapse."

The Newman family e-mailed their "disgust" at the "barmy" proposals. Geoffrey Chapman, of Gordon Close, Haywards Heath, wrote: "This sort of cost-saving exercise must stop."

l What do you think? Write to Save Our A&E, Evening Argus, 5 Church Road, Burgess Hill, RH15 9BB. Or e-mail matthew.james@argus-btn.co.uk or phil.dennett@ argus-btn.co.uk