Maryport has launched its battle to save its cottage hospital.

A huge crowd of adults and children demonstrated outside the hospital.

The demonstration was led by the Ewanrigg and Netherton Tenants’ and Residents’ Association (Entra) and the Ewanrigg Local Trust (ELT) supported by the hospital’s league of friends.

There was little talk. The aim of this occasion was to simply show by sheer numbers, that the people of Maryport are prepared to fight to keep their hospital beds.

Maryport, like other Cumbrian cottage hospitals, has been told by the Success Regime, of a proposal to remove beds.

A crammed public meeting was told that there were no plans to close the hospital – just to remove the beds.

But Maryport’s response has been adaman: losing the beds means losing the hospital. The local campaign has been named SOB – Save Our Beds. T-shirts bearing the logo are being printed and are available from West Lakes Embroidery on Senhouse Street.

Yesterday ribbons were tied to the railings outside the cottage hospital

Sharon Barnes, chairwoman of the ELT has urged people to get a ribbon, write their names on them and tie them to the railings at the hospital or onto the railway bridge at Grasslot.

Schools have been asked to write letters to the Success Regime to show why young people are concerned about the removal of hospital beds. A petition will be launched and people have also been asked to write to the Success Regime.

Anyone needing help can call at the Entra community centre on Ennerdale Road where ELT staff will assist.

The trust has also offered to post or deliver letters to save residents the cost of postage.

Bill Barnes, chairman of Entra, said: “It is 10 years since this community rose to fight the closure of the cottage hospital. We will rise again and we are determined that, once again, we will win this fight.”

He said former Workington MP Sir Tony Cunningham, had been a huge support, “and I know that our present MP, Sue Hayman, is right behind us”.

Kate Whitmarsh, development officer of the ELT, said the Ewanrigg ward of Maryport was given a Big Lottery grant of £1 million to fight deprivation and ill health in the area.

The removal of beds and possible closure of the cottage hospital would be a disaster for the ward and the town.

“Maryport Health Services have been rated as outstanding. The acute hospitals have had ongoing problems and it seems that places like Maryport are going to be penalised because of that. It is not fair.”

Chairwoman of the Maryport Hospital League of Friends, Joan Risely, said the league has given the hospital over £200,000.

“That is all money that has come from the community and shows the level of commitment to our hospital,” she said.