The Southern Daily Echo is campaigning to save more than 100 hospital beds which are under threat from closure in the New Forest and Romsey area.

The south coast newspaper has launched a petition in a bid to demonstrate the strength of feeling on the issue to health bosses.

Beds at five community hospitals at Hythe, Lyndhurst, Milford-on-Sea, Fordingbridge and Romsey, are threatened with the axe because of a cash crisis in which New Forest health bosses say they must find savings of £19m over the next few months.

Two options are being put forward to residents in a consultation, with one to close 40-60 cottage hospital beds and the other to get rid of all 106 beds across the New Forest and Romsey.

Officials say the savings would allow locally-based teams to treat patients at home or in care homes, but the Echo is calling on the decision-makers to think twice before losing the invaluable services.

Local MPs and Lady Belinda Montagu of the Beaulieu Estate have already shown their support, with Lady Montagu telling the Echo that it would be a “tragedy” if the closures went ahead.

Petition forms are also being printed in the Echo and a march in support of the campaign is planned for next month.