Campaigners fighting to stop major services being moved out of Crawley Hospital said today they had put up a "brilliant performance" in a council by-election.

The Crawley Hospital Campaign candidate Gary Commins was defeated but cut the Labour majority by more than half.

Mr Commins, a 32-year-old paint sprayer, was the campaign candidate in the West Green by-election caused by the sudden death of Crawley Council leader Tony Edwards.

The seat was won by Robert Hull, of Town Mead, West Green, who received 495 votes after being proposed by veteran Labour councillor Bert Crane.

Mr Commins received 344 votes, which cut the Labour majority from 373 last year to 151.

Mr Commins, of Snowdrop Close, Broadfield, Crawley, said: "Even if we didn't win the seat, we received a lot of publicity for our fight to try and prevent hospital services being moved from Crawley to East Surrey Hospital, in Redhill.

"I think we put up a brilliant performance. It was the hardest seat in the borough to contest and cutting the majority by more than half was a considerable achievement."

Crawley Hospital Campaign spokesman Chris Bird said: "It would be wrong to say we are not disappointed, but we did very well considering we were competing against Labour for their strongest seat in the town."

Mr Bird said they would be considering whether to contest another seat should it become vacant.

The campaign was set up to fight proposals to move major services, including accident and emergency and maternity, from Crawley to Redhill.

These have now been given the go ahead by Health Minister Gisela Stuart with a promise of £4.25 million for a major refurbishment at Crawley.