A hospital is on red alert because of a deluge of patients.

The Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton has been at its highest level of alert for the past 24 hours after a large number of emergency admissions.

It could see non-emergency operations being cancelled and patients sent to other hospitals.

Worthing Hospital was put on standby to take six Royal Sussex patients to ease the pressure.

The increasing strain on the Royal Sussex's accident and emergency (A&E) department has sparked fears about its ability to cope if A&E facilities are lost elsewhere in the county.

A&E units at Worthing, Haywards Heath and Chichester are under threat as plans are developed for a shake-up of hospital services later this year.

West Sussex Primary Care Trust will not reveal details of its proposals until after local elections on May 3 but they are expected to include the downgrading of hospital services around the county.

Campaigners against cutbacks warn that the Royal Sussex is already struggling to cope with demand and things will get worse if cuts are made elsewhere.

The hospital's problems are compounded by its work to save £15 million this year, which has led to a reduction in bed numbers and cuts in staff.

It also has a high number of "bedblocking"

patients, who are ready to leave hospital but cannot go because there is no nursing home place available or the extra support they need to go home is not ready yet.

A Royal Sussex spokeswoman said: "There is an agreed Sussexwide escalation plan, which involves hospitals throughout the area sharing information about their status and agreeing to support each other when necessary "Only patients who are assessed as suitable by their clinician and the ambulance service are transferred between hospitals."

The Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, run by the same trust as the Royal Sussex, was on amber alert, as was the Conquest Hospital in St Leonards.

St Richard's in Chichester was on red, while Worthing Hospital and Eastbourne District General Hospital were at the normal code green level.

To sign our online petition to Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt opposing cuts in services, click here.