CAMPAIGNERS who signed a petition calling for the retention of eye services at the Princess of Wales and Alexandra hospitals will have to wait awhile longer to hear if their fight has been successful.

Many people fear a review of eye services now being carried out by heath chiefs will result in them being relocated to hospitals elsewhere.

This has upset thousands of Advertiser/Messenger readers - who three years ago raised the cash to buy vital hi-tech sight saving equipment for the Alex, in Redditch, which eased the pressure on similar devices based at the Princess of Wales in Bromsgrove.

Bromsgrove's Tory MP, Julie Kirkbride, who recently presented the petition to the House of Commons, and who has been pushing hard for a decision to be made soon, has received a letter from Worcestershire Acute NHS Trust chairman, Michael O'Riordan.

But it does not contain the news she had hoped for.

Mr O'Riordan states he is aware of the concerns of patients in North Worcestershire and emphasises his desire that it be completed as soon as possible - but he points out the countywide review of the services is still ongoing.

Miss Kirkbride said: "The letter is extremely disappointing.

"The NHS Trust is very aware of the strength of local opinion on this issue and I am very sad that now more money is being spent on the health service they are not prepared to offer a guarantee that they will keep the eye clinics open.

"However," added Miss Kirkbride, "I can assure the residents of Bromsgrove that I will continue to fight for these services.