I UNFORTUNATELY had to take my wife to the A&E department at Burnley General Hospital.

When we arrived, a sign informed us tha there was a three hour wait for treatment.

My wife booked in and as soon as we sat down the sign was changed to say there would be a a four hour wait.

At this point a man with a leg injury got up and said he had already been there hours and he was off to get treatment elsewhere, followed shortly by other patients.

The staff were busy, and the delays were clearly no fault of theirs as they were working flat out.

What I feel is disgusting is that health managers have decided to close the A&E department at Burnley and move it to Blackburn.

Do they not realise that if there is a waiting time of three or four hours, the staff are working flat out and this is before the Saturday night drunks start arriving, that there is a need to keep the A&E department at Burnley open.

Does management not realise that the fatality rate has risen by patients being transported the long distance to Blackburn, or is their idea of cutting the cost of patient care?

It's time hospital managers and the Labour Government stopped playing with our lives and let us keep the much-needed service we deserve.

MR S ALLEN, Burrell Avenue, Colne.