A North-West regional daily has launched a campaign to save two local hospital burns units amid plans by NHS managers to move services up to 70 miles away across the Pennines.

The NHS is planning to base a so-called ‘supra centre’ for treatment of severe burns injuries, either in Wakefield or Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester, and a third children’s hospital also in Manchester.

But the Liverpool Echo fears this would mean the loss of its current “world class” services at the city’s Alder Hey and Whiston hospitals.

The paper fears the most serious burns victims would have to travel to the new centre for treatment, with Wakefield around 70 miles away from Liverpool.

It is now running a petition to gather support both in print and online on the Downing Street website.

The paper also fears that resources and funding will be focused at the new supra-centre, eventually driving away the best doctors from the city.

Echo health reporter Liza Williams, who is spearheading the campaign, said: “The people that are doing this review are saying that Whiston and Alder Hey won’t suffer and it’s only a small number of serious cases that will be to the Wythenshawe or Wakefield.

“But there’s only a certain number of top class staff and they’re going to want to work at the supra centre.

“The fear is that Whiston and Alder Hey will whither away and, over a number of years, there will be a brain drain, less funding and they won’t be able to provide the world class level of care they do at the moment.

“The unions are up in arms about it – Whiston is well known for its level of care and people hold it dear and want to see it built up.

The Echo has been garnering local support with one specialist burns doctor at Whiston Hospital telling the Echo that longer journeys between hospital would be “disastrous” for patients.

NHS officials reviewing the hospitals have claimed the move would affect only a dozen patients a year and the two Merseyside hospitals would not be downgraded as the result of any shake-up.