Olympic crowds sign Alex petition

Buy photos » Save The Alex campaigners in Astwood Bank. (s)

THE SAVE The Alex petition was bolstered yesterday (Sunday) as 2,500 of the crowds waiting to see the Olympic Torch also signed up to the campaign.

Group members were seen throughout the relay wearing Save The Alex t-shirts, gathering 2,573 signatures throughout the day which pushed the total figure to over 18,000.

Organiser Neal Stote watched the torch pass through Astwood Bank, he said: "I did not have to ask people to sign the petition they were just coming up to me and asking to sign. At one point several copies of the petition were being passed around the crowds.

"The day was not about the proposed loss of vital services from the Alexandra, but support for the hospital and the campaign has been staggering. People just can not believe the trust's current plans and jump at the opportunity to say no to them."

A public rally is set to be held outside Redditch Town Hall at 4.30pm today ahead of the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust's first meeting in Redditch with residents.

Anyone who will be there is asked to confirm their attendance at www.facebook.com/#!/events/422283387814314/

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