CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save Fairfield Hospital's Special Care Baby Unit took to the streets on Saturday (July 24).

The Fairfield Baby Lifeline Society set up stall outside Mothercare, in Union Street, Bury, and collected signatures in opposition to the possible closure.

Organiser Sharron Entwistle said she was overwhelmed by the response of the public.

She said: "There were so many people signing the petition. We had more than 2,700 by the end of the day and shoppers were even stopping us while we packed up the stall.

"We were also handing out leaflets and people were asking for an update on what was happening."

The Strategic Health Authority (SHA) approved the plans to restructure children's health services at a board meeting in Manchester earlier this month.

Its recommendations will now be subject to a three-month public consultation period, starting in October.

The delay is to give health officials time to finalise the proposals which include the closure of the baby unit. It will also bring an end to 24-hour paediatric care at Fairfield Hospital, replaced by a midwifery-led unit.