A CAPACITY crowd packed Kidderminster Town Hall last night to hear former BBC man Martin Bell urge support for Health Concern candidate Dr Richard Taylor.

Wearing his trademark white suit, the independent parliamentary candidate voiced his support for hospital campaigners in Wyre Forest.

The former foreign correspondent arrived at Worcester's Shrub Hill station yesterday afternoon with satirist John Fortune, who stars in Rory Bremner's TV show.

The pair had been invited to address the Save Kidderminster Hospital campaign meeting by Dr Taylor, who is standing as an independent in next month's General Election.

"I'm here primarily to speak about the need for independent MPs," said Mr Bell, who is standing as a candidate for Brentwood and Ongar, Essex.

"People are dissatisfied with party politics. I'm supporting Richard Taylor very strongly."

Up to 500 people turned up at the Kidderminster rally.

After the meeting, Labour candidate David Lock claimed his rival had carried out a U-turn over hospital pledges.

He said Dr Taylor was now refusing to repeat his pledge to bring back a full "blue light" A&E service to Kidderminster, which has been substantially downgraded.

"Richard has led people up the garden path for the last three years by claiming he

could bring back emergency services - but now he's gone back on that," said Mr Lock.

Dr Taylor admitted it was unrealistic to promise the restoration of a full blue light service immediately.

But the former GP said he would expect minimum services such as the treatment of fractures for road accident victims, which the hospital does not provide.

"We're unfleetingly pressing for the return of a local A&E service for the people of Wyre Forest," he added.

Dr Taylor confirmed Mr Bell had not met with any doctors after Mr Lock challenged him to discuss medical issues with them.

"He said he was here at the invitation of the campaign and would be heading back to Essex today to campaign there," said Dr Taylor.