HEALTH chiefs have admitted that beds axed at a New Forest hospital might never re-open.

All 20 beds at the Fenwick Hospital, Lyndhurst, were clos-ed earlier this year because of the cost of recruiting enough staff to run the wards.

Now New Forest Primary Care Trust has admitted the closure could be permanent.

The disclosure is made in a letter to Julian Lewis, the Tory candidate for New Forest East, who recently received a 2,000-signature petition from campaigners who want the beds re-opened.

Chief executive John Richards says: "I can give no undertakings at this stage that the in-patient beds will re-open. I understand the deep affection held by the local community for the Fenwick Hospital. However, the trust's primary concern must be with the quality of services and the care provided to our patients."

Dr Lewis reacted angrily to the admission.

He said: "This whole philosophy of shutting down in-patient facilities in community hospitals is crazy and must be fought at all costs."

Brian Dash, the Liberal Demo-crat candidate for New Forest East, also hit out at the contents of the letter.

He said: "It greatly alarms me and I support any campaign to ensure that the beds stay open."

Labour candidate Steve Roberts was unavailable for comment.

Sylvia Dibben, representing the Friends of Lyndhurst Sur-gery, said the permanent closure of the beds would be a "disaster" for the local community.

She added: "There's a lot of anger about the way it was done. There was no consultation and the beds were closed overnight."

Earlier this month the Daily Echo revealed that all 91 in-patient beds in the New Forest area are under threat.