LABOUR'S shadow health secretary Andy Burnham visited Worcester today - saying "the fight to save the NHS" would be decided in the city.

Mr Burnham, the latest in a long line of Labour or Conservative big hitters to visit Worcester, went on a walk down the High Street before addressing a rally outside Boston Tea Party in Angel Place.

The politician, who endured heckles from two passers-by, one of whom repeatedly tried to interrupt his speech to a gathering crowd, said his party "has to win here" in order to form the next Government.

During an exclusive interview with your Worcester News he also said if elected, his first action in an Ed Milband-led Government would be to convene an urgent health summit to try and resolve the pressures at Worcestershire Royal Hospital and the Alex.

In an unusual move, he also urged people thinking of voting for the Green Party or Trade Unionists and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) in Worcester to back Labour instead, in the hope Councillor Joy Squires will overturn Conservative Robin Walker's 2,982 majority.

"The future of the NHS is in the balance at this General Election," he said.

"People in Worcester need to know what is at stake at this election - nobody gave permission to put the NHS for sale, 40 per cent of contracts right now are going to the private sector.

"If we get in we will repeal the Health and Social Care Act, but we have to win here otherwise we won't be able to do it.

"The fight for the NHS is happening in Worcester, you are the front line and it's being decided right here."

He told your Worcester News he felt the election would be decided on "fine margins", with the city at the heart of it.

"It's like 1992 in terms of it being tight but we're fighting for it, we know it will decided on very fine margins," he said.

"An overall majority is achievable and we need places like Worcester to get that, and the NHS is central in this election, it's the main concern people have.

"If we get into Government, if I get re-elected the first thing I will do in this job is have a health summit in Worcestershire so we can start resolving the problems.

He added: "I'd urge people to really think about how they're going to vote, even if you're thinking about voting TUSC or Green, sometimes politics is about being pragmatic."

He said the biggest cause of A&E pressure is social care cuts harming very frail and elderly people, saying since 2010 300,000 pensioners have become ineligible for help, and voiced concern over the acute trust's finances.

He also said the Labour manifesto pledge to guarantee people a GP's appointment within 48 hours would help, citing surgery unavailability as another problem.