HEALTH Secretary Alan Milburn has been urged to personally intervene in the hospital "crisis" in Worcestershire.

Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff has written to highlight bed and staff shortages at Worcester Royal Infirmary.

"Crisis is an overworked word," said the Tory MP. "But I'm forced to the reluctant conclusion that it's the only word to describe the health service in my county."

Mr Luff enclosed with his letter three Evening News front pages.

The first, dated July 20, raised concerns Mr Luff was due to highlight in a Commons debate on the county's health services, including bed and nurse numbers, intermediate care and the best location for specific services.

The second, dated August 11, detailed how patients had to wait in ambulances because no beds were available.

The third, from last Saturday, warned: "It's chaos again for A&E."

"I think you will be forced to agree the fears I expressed in July are coming horribly true in August and September," Mr Luff told the Health Secretary. "The News is rightly highlighting the growing problems.

"These front pages, I maintain, prove that Worcester is indeed full to bursting in the summer. What on earth will it be like come this winter?"

He warned that the main problem was too few staffed beds, compounded by the "premature" move of Kidderminster patients to the city before the new £91m hospital was open.

The Health Department declined to comment until it had received Mr Luff's letter.