A LAST-ditch plea is being made to keep Kidderminster Hospital mortuary open while health watchdogs consider its future.

Kidderminster and District Community Health Council has requested the mortuary, due to close this week, be kept open.

The watchdog has written to Worces-tershire Acute Hos-pitals NHS Trust asking for more time.

Council chairman Pauline Davis said: "Members feel the proposal to close the mortuary and contract to a private provider was an important decision which could have significant repercussions for people living in Wyre Forest.

"We feel we need more time to make an informed decision and have asked that the mortuary is kept open."

The hospital trust had said the move was due to changes at the hospital which meant it no longer required full mortuary facilities.

The mortuary will be moved to Alex-andra Hospital, Redditch. Post mort-ems will also be carried out on the site.

The trust was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.