HOSPITAL campaigners braved the cold last night for a poignant candlelit vigil at a Huddersfield hospital.
They were standing outside St Luke's Hospital at Crosland Moor - one of the facilities that could vanish under controversial plans by health bosses.
And they revealed their final throw of the dice in the huge public campaign against the plans will come on Saturday.
A third public protest is planned for 11am, just four days before the meeting which will decide the future of Huddersfield's hospital services.
Campaigners hope thousands of people will take part in the hour-long demonstration from Huddersfield Railway Station to the Piazza to display a final show of strength.
Next Wednesday, members of the Huddersfield Central, South Huddersfield and Calderdale Primary Care Trusts will meet at the Galpharm Stadium in Huddersfield.
They will decide on where key services, including maternity and children's treatments, will be centred in the future.
Plans to shift some of the services from the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary to the Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax have whipped up a storm of protest.
Tens of thousands of people in Huddersfield have signed petitions - and many took part in the two previous protest marches.
And the Examiner has raised the issue with Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Last night, the focus shifted to St Luke's, which could close as part of the shake-up of services.
The Huddersfield primary care trusts and the South West Yorkshire Mental Health Trust have announced plans to move services away from the 23-acre site.
Protesters stayed there for four hours last night.
John Kenney, one of the organisers, said: "St Luke's Hospital plays a very important role in health care for Huddersfield and it would be wrong to shut it.
"Its future has been overshadowed by some of the other plans, notably maternity services, but people feel strongly.
"Last night was a token protest but we now hope thousands will turn out at 11am on Saturday to show the health trusts how strongly we all feel about their plans.
"It is the most important issue we have faced for a long time. We just hope that those making the decisions next Wednesday will take notice of the public support."
The three primary care trusts plan to streamline next week's meeting.
They will meet on Friday and are expected to approve an administrative scheme which will see a joint sub-committee formed to deal with the practicalities of the decision- making process.
It will mean that the four executive directors of the primary care trusts will waive their right to a second vote on the issues.
* Protest organisers want a band to lead them in Saturday's march.
Any musicians willing to help can contact Mr Kenney on 01484 664350.
