Protesters fighting controversial changes at Crawley Hospital will help lead the campaign against any similar moves in Brighton and Haywards Heath.

Members of the Crawley Hospital Campaign today vowed to oppose any merger of services between the Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath, and the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton.

The Princess Royal has refused to rule out closing the accident and emergency department, a move which would mean casualty patients having to travel about 15 miles to Brighton.

The Government this week announced accident and emergency and maternity services will move from Crawley to the East Surrey Hospital, Redhill.

Simon Burgess, spokesman for the Crawley Hospital Campaign, said: "If A and E at the Princess Royal was to close, this would mean there would be no A and E services between Redhill and the coast.

"A vigorous campaign must start to defend hospital services at the Princess Royal and Brighton. Crawley Hospital Campaign offers its support to such a campaign."

Mr Burgess added: "The Government decision is a terrible betrayal of the people of Crawley, Horsham and surrounding areas."

Princess Royal Hospital spokesman Stefan Cantore said: "We are planning to issue a discussion document, with a range of options, at the end of July.

"There is no plan at this point in time. There are clearly worked through proposals which we will invite discussion on."

Campaigners believe MP Laura Moffatt could lose her seat because of the Crawley cuts, warning her: "No A and E - no Labour MP!"

Mrs Moffatt said: "In this decision we have achieved a major victory on many issues.

"The Department of Health have accepted this cannot be the end of the story, which is very different from what we were being told at the beginning.

"We will see an examination of the situation 15 years from now which we can have confidence in. I believe this will recommend what we all want - a new hospital in Crawley."

Campaign chairman Chris Bird said: "Promises to review the situation in 15 or 20 years are ludicrous. Crawley needs a new hospital and it needs it now."