Hospital consultants are backing the fight to keep vital services in a town.

Four MPs met with staff at Worthing Hospital to discuss possible changes that could lead to the hospital losing accident and emergency, maternity and paediatric facilities.

Changes would mean longer journeys for patients to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester or the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

Worthng MPs Tim Loughton and Peter Bottomley, along with Arundel and South Downs MP Nick Herbert and Bognor and Littlehampton MP Nick Gibb, urged consultants to support the campaign to save the hospital.

Consultants said losing facilities such as A&E could have a serious impact for patients. The hospital deals with 2,200 emergency heart cases every year and with these time is always of the essence. If patients have to travel more than 12 miles to specialists at Brighton it could put lives at risk.

The consultants' support comes as a mass rally and meeting is arranged for Worthing town centre on August 2.

MPs, councillors and doctors will speak at the Pavilion Theatre from 7pm and it will be chaired by Worthing mayor Tom Wye.

South East Coast Strategic Health Authority chief executive and Adur, Arun and Worthing Primary Care Trust boss Steve Phoenix will be invited to attend.

East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton said: "We have had thousands of people get in touch since the campaign began and now we need their help again. A mass turnout in support of Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust will send a strong message to the authorities that we and the entire local community mean business.

"If it is such a good idea to downgrade Worthing then I am sure local health bosses will have no problem coming onto a platform with us and explaining to local people just why they don't need these services and how they would be better off going to Brighton, Portsmouth or who knows where."

The meeting will also give an opportunity to boost the campaign petition which has already had more than 10,000 signatures in two weeks with more pouring in every day.

Anyone wanting to sign up can do so at www.kwash.org.uk
Concerns about the hospital's future are on the agenda of the Worthing county local committee meeting at the Charmandean Centre in Forest Road on Wednesday at 7pm