A hospital accident and emergency department has closed its doors for the last time.

The department at Crawley Hospital has been downgraded to a walk-in centre and will only deal with minor injuries and illnesses.

It has been running as an A&E department during the day and a walk-in centre at night for the past three months.

A&E shut for the final time on Sunday and seriously ill patients from Crawley and Horsham are now being sent to East Surrey Hospital in Redhill.

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs both hospitals, is confident East Surrey can cope and says having all services on one site will be better for patients.

Sussex Ambulance workers are unhappy at the changes.

They are worried about the longer journeys patients will have to make and claim Redhill is already working at full stretch.

It is believed three-quarters of patients will continue to be treated at Crawley Hospital at the new walk-in centre.

Work will begin on a new purpose-built £1.2 million centre in October but until then it will be based at the A&E department.

Trust chief executive Ken Cunningham said: "It means patients who are acutely ill can receive care from specialist teams who will provide comprehensive care around the clock at East Surrey."