Campaigners fighting to save a Sussex hospital which is threatened with closure have called a public meeting.

King Edward VII Hospital in Midhurst will shut in a few weeks if a rescue package cannot be found.

The charity formed to run the hospital has debts of £8 million and is desperately trying to raise the cash to keep it going.

It called the meeting to raise awareness about the hospital's plight and is urging as many people as possible to attend.

A provisional liquidator was called in at the end of last month after a rescue package with a US healthcare company broke down.

Charity trustees say the NHS's refusal to commit to using the hospital's services in the future was mainly to blame.

Trustees and the healthcare company met with the Department of Health but could not get a guarantee of future support.

The hospital has had numerous letters and calls of support since news of its problems emerged.

In a letter to the Friends of the Hospital, director of development Tricia Saunders said: "Our role in complementing services available in the NHS has been very important to us.

"There has been significant investment in recent years in cardiac and cancer facilities. I assure you we are fighting hard and we recognise this is very much a political issue."

The hospital, which employs more than 420 people, has served the community for almost 100 years.

It has the only radiotherapy unit in West Sussex and offers comprehensive cancer and cardiac facilities.

A hospital spokesman said: "The hospital deals with 6,000 to 7,000 operations each year, with 3,000 to 4,000 for the NHS.

"If we close, then where are they all going to go? The same applies for outpatients. We deal with 18,000 a year and half of these are NHS patients.

"At a time when there is so much emphasis on waiting lists, it is amazing the Department of Health will not want to use us."

Campaigners are calling on people to sign petitions and write to their MPs.

The meeting takes place at the Geoffery Marshall Hall at the hospital tonight at 7pm. To help the campaign, call 01730 812341.