A GREAT-GRANDMOTHER who braved the elements to collect more than 1,000 signatures objecting to the possible closure of Wycombe Hospital's Accident & Emergency department, handed her petition to the authorities this week.

Janet Riley, 60, from Havenfield Road, Booker, was shocked when she read the news that as part of an acute services review health authority officials were discussing the possibility of closing the A&E ward at Wycombe, which would force patients to travel an extra 16 miles to Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Mrs Riley said: "There are old people. There are children. We all rely on that A & E and I felt very strongly about it."

Mrs Riley spent two days in Wycombe collecting signatures from people objecting to any possible closure.

She said: "I got 1,002 after two days which is not a long time. If we would have kept it going for a long time we would have got lots more. The people I spoke to are really quite proud of their hospital and don't want to lose the service."

With the backing of Wycombe district councillors Ted Collins and Chauhdry Shafique, Mrs Riley presented her petition to Dr Jeremy Rose, chairman of Wycombe Primary Care Group (PCG), on Tuesday, who will forward it to Buckinghamshire Health Authority.

Jayne Stone, chief executive of Wycombe PCG, said: "Any major change to services has to be part of a consultation. The CHC (Community Health Council) has the right to ask for a review by the secretary of state.

"After April 2002 local authorities then have the statutory authority that the CHC does. The local authority can ask for a review by the secretary of state. Buckinghamshire County Council and Wycombe District Council will both have scrutiny committees for health."