HEALTH chiefs will be presented with a petition demanding the reopening of beds at a cottage hospital in the New Forest.

The petition was launched after all 20 beds at the Fenwick Hospital, Lyndhurst, were closed by the New Forest Primary Care Trust, which is facing a deficit of almost £10m.

Campaigners raised more than 2,000 signatures in just a few weeks after distributing it throughout shops, community centres, doctors' surgeries and post offices in the village.

They presented the petition to New Forest East MP Dr Julian Lewis, who promised to raise the issue with the trust's chief executive, John Richards.

The closure of the beds has sparked fears about the hospital's survival.

Sylvia Dibben, representing Friends of Lyndhurst Surgery, said: "The closure has been described as a temporary measure. The outpatients' department and the chiropody unit are still open, but who knows what will happen in the future?

"Dr Lewis has been very supportive and was delighted to accept our petition, which will be presented to the trust in the next few weeks."

The MP commented: "I'm an enthusiastic supporter of the concept of the cottage hospital. I think small is beautiful."

The drastic decision to close the beds was taken after bosses imposed restrictions on employing bank and agency staff to save money.

As a result there was not enough staff to cover the wards at the New Forest's five community hospitals - at Hythe, Milford, Fording-bridge, Romsey and Lynd-hurst - and the Fenwick was chosen to close.

The hospital has served Lyndhurst and the surrounding districts since 1908 when it was purpose built "to the glory of God and for the benefit of the suffering poor of Lyndhurst and neighbourhood".

But it has lost a number of vital services over the years. A recently refurbished day room was closed last year and the physiotherapy department closed in 2003 and the maternity unit was axed several years ago.