People fighting to keep hospital services in their town say plans to use a private hospital to treat NHS patients could damage their campaign.

A review group of health officials and interest groups is drawing up proposals on the future of health services in North Sussex and South East Surrey.

Among the options considered are plans to build a new hospital at Pease Pottage in Crawley.

Other options include expanding services at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill and downgrading Crawley to a cottage hospital.

Members of the Crawley Hospital Campaign, which wants a new state-of-the-art hospital for the town, is angry at the announcement that Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs both hospitals, is planning to enter into a partnership with Bupa Redwood Hospital.

The Bupa hospital is based in the grounds of East Surrey Hospital.

The trust says the move will mean thousands of NHS patients who would otherwise have to wait more than a year for non-urgent operations, will be seen quickly.

A campaign spokesman said: "There is some concern as the Bupa hospital is at Redhill.

"We belive this could shift the review group's attention on to that site and look at ways of expanding services there instead of focusing on Crawley.

"We are not happy about the timing of the announcement as it throws yet another thing into the equation just before the review group is about to make its decision."

The campaign is hopeful long-term plans will be made to develop a new hospital at Pease Pottage.

But it is worried that existing services at Crawley, such as the accident and emergency unit, will still be transferred to Redhill, before a new hospital is built.

The campaign has written to the review group about its concerns, saying all Crawley services should stay where they are until a new hospital is developed.

The review group is expected to announce its preference later this month.