Campaigners opposing cuts at an East Yorkshire hospital say managers are downgrading too many services.

Residents fighting to retain services at Bridlington Hospital are worried the facility could be "devastated" if all of the current proposals for change go ahead.

Mick Pilling, chair of Save Bridlington Hospital Campaign Action Group, said people feared for the hospital's future.

He said: "At the moment there are so many changes taking place we are unable to fight them all at once.

"It can be overwhelming for us as a campaign group, but we are determined to keep fighting because we don't feel the hospital will be able to serve the people of the town properly if these changes go ahead."

His comments came following the announcement of changes to a surgical ward at the hospital.

Scarborough and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust, which manages the hospital, plans to reduce hours on Lloyd ward which currently has about 26 beds available for minor surgical procedures and is open 24 hours a day.

But the changes would see a move towards more day-case surgery at the unit, resulting in the ward operating between 9am and 5pm, with the number of beds reduced to 20.

Mr Pilling said: "We find these changes totally unacceptable and we think the Lloyd ward should be left as it is.

"A lot of people in the town will be disappointed by this downgrading of services."

Mr Pilling said the changes would mean people who were previously transferred from Scarborough Hospital to recover would now have to stay there.

But the trust insisted the changes would increase the number of surgical admissions and said patients would continue to be admitted overnight if necessary.

Iain McInnes, chief executive of the trust, said: "Following a consultation on the future role of Bridlington Hospital the board agreed to implement an increase in day case surgery.

"In order to manage the additional day case surgery, Lloyd Ward has to operate as a day case ward.

"Patients who need an overnight stay, on non-surgical grounds, or local patients who need transferring from Scarborough following surgery will continue to be looked after at Bridlington Hospital."

The changes to the Lloyd ward are part of a proposed shake-up of services at the town's hospital.

The trust has postponed its decisions on the future of maternity services and cardiac care until June.

There is also an ongoing consultation on proposals by Humber Mental Health Trust to move services at the Waters ward in Bridlington Hospital to another location in the East Riding.