A PETITION to ensure that Winchester does not lose its accident and emergency department has almost reached its target.

Nearly 500 people have signed in favour of the campaign after last year's announcement that a new hospital is likely to be built near Basingstoke to serve central Hampshire.

This knocked hopes that the Royal Hampshire County Hospital (RHCH) in Romsey Road will retain its current range of services.

Read the story on the announcement here.

The online petition, created by a user named 'Save Winchester', reads: "The growing community of Winchester and staff do not want the accident and emergency relocated to Basingstoke or just outside Basingstoke in the countryside.

"Most importantly Winchester’s residents strongly disagree with removal of its accident and emergency department. Winchester population is 122,000 plus surrounded communities and its ever growing and expanding.

"There is major concern in the growing elderly population of having the emergency department removed with the added worry of the air ambulance service lack of funding and the time it takes for an ambulance to arrive being so long, some residents reporting up to 8hrs. It’s clear that the ambulance service can not be relied upon in life threatening emergencies.

"In addition and contrast to Basingstoke Winchester has many tens of thousands of tourist visit each year and a large number of students this combined far exceeds Basingstoke’s population and therefore requires at a minimum that a 24/7 accident department should remain."

The petition currently has 454 signatures.

"The residents hereby petition to keep the 24/7 accident and emergency department in place at a bare minimum," continues the text.

"They also suggest given the above a site should be found ( as was the new leisure centre ) just outside Winchester town for the new hospital to be built on the Basingstoke and Andover side to serve North Hampshire.

"Winchester has excellent bus and rail links and we the residents believe it’s in the best interest of everyone to consult the public properly and listen to what they want and need."

To view the petition, visit: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-the-removal-of-winchester-emergency-dept-or-build-the-new-hospital-here