Video: Dewsbury hospital campaigners protest at Mid Yorkshire board meeting

Save Dewsbury Hospital organised the demonstration as the boards of the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust and local Clinical Commissioning Groups discussed how to push ahead with plans to downgrade services at Dewsbury and District Hospital.

Around 50 people gathered in front of the town hall on Thursday amid chants of “No ifs, no buts, no Dewsbury Hospital cuts.”

Group member and Labour parliamentary candidate for Dewsbury and Mirfield Paula Sherriff said: “We are fighting for the people of Dewsbury – we can’t lie back and let them do this. This is just the start.”

Miss Sherriff, who has worked in the NHS for 12 years, added: “I have spoken to hundreds of hospital staff who are afraid to speak to the media and not one person has said this will benefit local people.”

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said he will not review the decision to downgrade services. It means the number of beds at the hospital being cut from 360 to 110 and the downgrading of the A&E department and maternity services. Save Dewsbury Hospital say this will cost lives.

Demonstrators entered the town hall where a board meeting, which was being held in public, was taking place. Protestors jeered and shouted as members of the board took questions from the floor.

Meanwhile, at a full Kirklees Council meeting on Wednesday, councillors passed a motion calling on the secretary of state to review his decision.