A campaign by The Comet to save the emergency services at a local hospital has been backed by more than 5,500 people.

The Archant Herts & Cambs paper is fighting to keep the A&E department at Lister Hospital in Stevenage open, and readers have been flocking to sign its petition.

In less than a week the paper gathered more than 2,500 signatures – and the campaign was given an extra boost when the leader of the Conservative party, David Cameron, paid a visit to the hospital and gave an exclusive interview to The Comet.

He spoke of his concern to centralise acute and emergency services at either Lister or the QEII – a hospital 13 miles away in Welwyn Garden City – and urged Comet readers to have their say.

David Cameron with The Comet
outside Lister Hospital

One hospital will receive a cash boost of around £200m and one will be left with a scaled down A&E.

Comet reporter Louise McEvoy, who is co-ordinating the campaign, said: “We are delighted with the response we have received from our readers.

“It just goes to show the strength of support there is to keep the A&E department at Lister fully functioning.

“We have opened hundreds of letters from readers so far and are hoping to open thousands more over the coming weeks.”