Fears have been raised over the future of inpatient service at Cockermouth's new hospital after proposals were revealed that could see the beds scrapped.

Cottage hospitals across West Cumbria are set to face changes under plans being drawn up by health service troubleshooters.

Two early ideas have been mooted by the west, north and east Cumbria Success Regime Programme Board, which was set up by the Government to tackle deep-rooted problems in the local health service.

They have been made public now ahead of a formal consultation expected in May.

One of the options would see expansion of inpatient services at units including Cockermouth and Workington, with all beds removed from other cottage hospitals including Keswick and Maryport.

The other would see all cottage hospital inpatient facilities closed.

The Success Regime has said community hospitals would still play a key part, but it wants to review how it uses them.

Its vision states: "Our community hospitals typically have a small number of beds and that gives us great challenges in recruitment, meeting safe staffing levels and providing medical cover. In addition some of the buildings are aging and no longer fit for purpose."

Removing all inpatient beds from cottage hospitals would require significant investment in community care, focused on keeping people out of hospital, it adds.

Cottage hospitals would become community care hubs focusing on outpatient appointments.

The news comes 10 years after widespread protests to save the cottage hospitals from cuts and possible closure.

In spring 2006 high-profile demonstrations were staged, a 70,000-signature petition collected and MPs lobbied at Downing Street.

Eventually health bosses backed down and came up with a new vision for community hospitals to ease pressures on the big acute hospitals.

But this plan, dubbed Closer to Home, was never properly implemented, and problems across the system have worsened.

The area's joint league of friends is due to meet with bosses on Monday to discuss the plans and their response.

Councillor Alan Smith, Allerdale council leader and a Cockermouth ward member, pledged to fight for West Cumbria to retain the best possible health services and called on people to make their views known.

He said: "The more people get involved the better.

"It makes my negotiating power greater if people are demanding services.

"The cottage hospitals have been there for 100 years and I expect them to be there for another 100 years with inpatient services.

"That's what I'm working towards."

Workington MP Sue Hayman is calling for a meeting with Sir Neil.

She said: "We need to make sure people have the services they need as close to home as possible.

"I'd want to look very closely at what they're proposing.

"If beds are lost in Maryport and Keswick because of the expansion of Workington and Cockermouth that's something we'd have to look at.

"I'd be extremely concerned about losing them altogether.

"We have to have inpatient beds at community hospitals between Whitehaven and Carlisle."