Campaigners marked the new year with renewed passion as they attempted to safeguard the region's grassroots hospital services.

Hundreds of people attended a march in Beverley to protest against threats to the town's Westwood Hospital.

The New Year's Day rally was organised by the newly-formed Beverley Health Action Group.

The group intends to spearhead the fight against moves to cut services at the hospital, which could be left without beds under a planned shake-up of healthcare in the East Riding.

Campaigners fear for the future of the hospital, which has already lost a large part of its site.

Chairman of the group, John Bird, said: "We are very concerned about the loss of health services in Beverley and we want to save the hospital for the community.

"A lot of people will find it difficult to travel to hospitals elsewhere for treatment or to visit patients in hospital.

"We collected more than 1,000 signatures of support in three hours, which is phenomenal."

East Riding of Yorkshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) has launched a formal consultation on the future of community services in the East Riding.

Parts of the Westwood Hospital site have already been sold for housing and a further 2.84 acres are being advertised for sale.

Campaigners had hoped to deliver the petition to a representative of the PCT at the end of the march, but were told no one would be available.

East Riding councillor Kate Gray said the action group would take steps forward in 2007.

She said: "We want to meet the administrators who make the decisions and will be holding public meetings during the year.

"This new group will give the cause a cohesive push. We want to see the standard of care we deserve."

Dr Michael Lavine and his wife Beryl, a former nurse, both used to work at the hospital.

Dr Lavine, 74, said: "The hospital means a lot to people and we have seen it cut back a lot over the years. The loss of beds would be huge."

Joyce Stubbs, 80, from Market Weighton, and her daughter, Alison Russell, took part in the march.

Mrs Stubbs said: "My mother was in Westwood Hospital some years ago and, with the kindness and care she received, she couldn't have asked for anything better."

Derek and Beryl Mitchell, from Beverley, said the service was vital.

Mrs Mitchell, 76, said: "Closing the hospital will be catastrophic. I was born in Beverley and I would rather die in my own bed than have to go to Hull."

Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart said: "Healthcare policy should be made with people and not just for people.

"The number of people who have come out today shows the strength of feeling."

A public meeting on the issue will be held in the Memorial Hall in Lairgate on Friday, January 19 at 7.30pm.