THE battle to save Bransford Ambulance Control Centre has been lost after campaigners were unable to prove health chiefs' decision to close it was unlawful.

Solicitors acting on behalf of the campaigners said that without hard evidence that West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust had promised to keep the centre open during the merger of the ambulance services in 2006, they could not proceed with legal action.

Liz Kabani, senior call taker at the centre and Unison representative, said she was disappointed.

"We just could not find any black and white evidence to prove that the trust had promised to keep the centre open," she said.

"We know that they did when the ambulance services were being merged, but we just don't have the proof. It's a very sad day for the people of Herefordshire and Worcestershire and a huge disappointment.

"But it is now up to the primary care trusts, councils and MPs to keep an eye on the trust and ensure that the service in the two counties does not drop."

Your Worcester News ran a lengthy campaign to save the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), when more than 2,000 people signed a petition. People were concerned that closing the centre could threaten people's lives, with the loss of local knowledge.

After the trust decided to proceed with its reconfiguration plans, a legal challenge was mounted by West Worcestershire Parliamentary Candidate Richard Burt and staff at the centre, in the hope that the High Court would overturn the decision.

Campaigners said the decision was unlawful and likely to result in a court quashing the decision.

They also denounced the consultation leading to the decision as a "whitewash".

However, solicitors acting on their behalf said that having reviewed the information they would not be taking any further action.

Mr Burt said: "I'm extremely disappointed because the consultation was never about giving members of the public an opportunity to have their say on any alternatives."

He added: "We will have to keep a close eye on the performance over the coming months and my concern is that there will be problems and lives will be at risk."

Bransford EOC will now close later this year, along with Shrewsbury EOC. All 999 calls within the West Midlands will then be dealt with by call centres in Brierley Hill, Stafford and Leamington Spa.