The South Wales Evening Post’s campaign to save neurosurgery services at a Swansea hospital has won the support of 40,000 people in just five weeks.

The paper launched its Health Warning campaign after proposals emerged to move neurosurgery services from Morriston Hospital.

Health Commission Wales has instead named Cardiff’s University of Wales Hospital as the site for a new South Wales Neuro Sciences Centre after a three-year review.

The paper says the move would place 178,000 people two hours travelling time – or more – away from a neurosurgical centre, and it is feared that other Swansea hospital services would also be put at risk.

The paper launched its petition on July 11, and has already reached the 40,000-name milestone.

It is also estimated that many thousands of signatures have yet to be counted because petition forms are still circulating in shops, petrol stations, pubs and clubs across Swansea and West Wales.

Evening Post editor Spencer Feeney said: “The public response to our petition indicates the depth of feeling.

“It’s important now that we keep up the pressure, and we would like to encourage as many people west of Swansea as possible to get involved, as this is much more than a Cardiff versus Swansea issue.

“It’s important that people further west of Swansea, most at risk if neurosurgery does go to Cardiff, give the campaign their backing.”

The petition still has weeks to go, and will carry on until the end of a three-month public consultation period, at the end of October, when it will be handed to Health Minister Brian Gibbons.