Standing shoulder-to-shoulder, calling on the government to ‘hand back our hospital’ – campaigners have reignited their bid to see vital health services returned to High Wycombe.

Wycombe Hospital continues to be stripped of important departments following the closure of its A&E unit 10 years ago.

Petitions calling for a return to key services regularly bring in strong support with thousands of signatures, but have so far fallen on deaf ears.

But, in a show of support behind the long-running campaign, residents and well known town dignitaries, including a number of past mayors joined together to form a ring around the hospital.

Leading campaigner, Ozma Hafiz said: “Teachers spend much of their summer holidays planning, preparing and reflecting.

“I imagine the same to be the case for politicians, so the start of the parliamentary recess seemed a good time to send the Health Secretary a message.

“We formed a chain outside the hospital with our hands up to show that we want downgrades to stop and services restored.

“Decisions are currently being made under NHS 'Sustainability and Transformation plans' and our local area could lose more health services as a result.”

Campaigners will be sending the images to recently re-appointed Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, calling for him to look closely at Wycombe Hospital and asking more people to support their campaign.

Joining campaigners, High Wycombe resident Sarah-Jane Fell said: ''High Wycombe is a big town and getting much bigger, we need a fully working hospital, not NHS staff on their knees and patients suffering.

“Wycombe hospital is a good one, the staff are caring and we need to keep it.''

Lynne McGuckin said: “A town with 120,500 residents needs full hospital provisions. It is presumptuous to assume that all people in need can easily meet the overheads to travel to another town.

“The most vulnerable i.e. children, elderly and disabled and their carers may struggle and this could result in the loss of lives.”

For more information, or to sign the petition visit, www.savewycombehospital.com