FRESH fears have been expressed that if the ongoing campaign to safeguard the future of Milford Hospital is a success, it may be at the expense of Haslemere Hospital.

The concerns expressed by the Haslemere Hospital's league of friends comes as preparations are made for a weekend of public events to show support for Milford Hospital.

A thousand balloons are being launched as well as an organised march and a special service of celebration just days before the local primary care trust, which runs both hospitals, is due to unveil its proposals for the future of Milford.

The cash-strapped PCT is carrying out a review of the services provided by its community and rehabilitation hospitals. On September 16, it will outline plans for the 60-bed rehabilitation hospital in Milford - but campaigners are fearing the worst.

Their concerns have led to a series of events being organised the weekend before the PCT's crunch meeting, starting with the launch of 1,000 balloons with a pro-Milford Hospital message from the Crown Court in Godalming on Friday September 10 at 12 noon.

The following day (Sept 11) a march is planned from the pepperpot in Godalming down to the High Street starting at 11 am, and on the Monday (Sept 13) a service of celebration is planned at Godalming Parish Church starting at 7-30 pm.

The weekend follows hot on the heals of a recent candlelight vigil outside the hospital which was held before a previous PCT meeting when the future plans of the hospital were due to be unveiled. However an announcement was deferred.

The weekend of events has cross-party support from local politicians who hope to sway health chiefs.

So far around 15,000 letters have been sent out by Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate Jeremy Hunt asking for local residents to maintain the pressure which he believes is already working.

"The fact that the PCT chose to defer the issue of Milford shows that public pressure is working - but we must not let up now," his letter said.

"This is, and must remain, a non party-politial campaign. All three major parties were represented at our candlelit vigil and this in itself sends a far more powerful message back to the PCT than if one party were to act alone."

However it is the strength of the pro-Milford Hospital campaign which has caused supporters of Haslemere Hospital great concern.

The league of friends is fearful that if the PCT bows to the public pressure the PCT may safeguard the future of the hospital in Milford at the expense of Haslemere hospital whose services are also being reviewed.

In a statement to The Herald the league has said that it is opposed to "any decision that would result in reduction or withdrawal of any facilities at any Haslemere and district hospital which provides essential services" in the town and surrounding area.

The friends claim that Haslemere Hospital has excellent public transport links "unlike Milford Hospital which is devoid of public transport".

It also points out that while Milford is only five miles from the Royal Surrey County Hospital, Haslemere Hospital is "uniquely isolated" and 15 miles from the major hospital.

A previous threat to shed community beds from Haslemere Hospital was dropped in 2000 so that a longer-term plan could be drawn up. At the time health chiefs promised that the beds in the hospital would remain until 2004.

The friends fear that because of the need to save money the PCT will have to make cuts - and fear that it will be at Haslemere's expense.

"PCT resources are limited and the league fear that retention of Milford will put Haslemere at jeopardy," the chairman of the league Dr Nicky Lee said.

"Ten thousand people signed the petition to retain Haslemere Hospital only fours years ago and the league intends to do everything it can to ensure that services at Haslemere are retained and enhanced."

However Mr Hunt said that campaigners would not support proposals to save the hospital in Milford at the expense of Haslemere.

"Haslemere and Milford Hospitals fulfil two very different needs," he said.

"Haslemere is a community hospital for people in the local area, whereas Milford is primarily a rehabilitation service serving the whole of Guildford and Waverley.

"The case for retaining Milford holds water in its own right and will be of significant benefit the people of Haslemere. It would be completely unacceptable for any rescue package for Milford to compromise the hard-won achievements made to secure the future of Haslemere Hospital.

"At a time of dramatic increases in NHS spending nationally it is lunacy to be talking about any cuts whatsoever in our area."