A PROTEST march for residents angered by the proposed cuts to the Alexandra Hospital is being planned for January.

Redditch man Neal Stote was so infuriated after Thursday's public meeting he felt driven to set up his own campaign to oppose the possible downgrade.

As well as organising a protest march between Redditch Town Hall and the Alex on January 7, Mr Stote has also launched a website, www.savethealex.co.uk

Meanwhile, Redditch Advertiser & Alcester Chronicle readers have already shown their strength of feeling, with 18,877 signing our petition.

Jacqui Smith will hand over the petition to health chiefs on Friday.

Our sister paper the Bromsgrove Advertiser/ Messenger has collected about 5,000 further names on a petition, which Julie Kirkbride will deliver to No 10 Downing Street on December 2.

And Redditch Council will also start counting its ballot when voting closes at noon on Friday.

A council spokesman said that since the ballot was launched on October 20, 35,000 ballot papers had been issued at ''polling stations'' and several full boxes had already been exchanged at the town hall.

Wythall residents still keen to have their say on the matter are invited to a meeting at the village hall in Alcester Road on Saturday, November 26, from 10am-noon.

Miss Kirkbride will chair the meeting, which will be attended by Acute Hospital NHS Trust chief executive John Rostill and chairman Michael O'Riordan.