CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save Fairfield Hospital's Special Care Baby Unit took to the streets at the weekend.

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) last week agreed that plans to restructure children's health services should be subjected 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.

The Fairfield Baby Lifeline Society will be holding a public meeting in the Elizabethan Suite, Bury Town Hall, on Monday September 13 at 7.30pm. For more information on becoming involved in the campaign, call Sharron Entwistle on 0781-387-0002 or Donna Shephard on 0779-040-3758.