The fight is not over — in fact the gloves are coming off in a bid to save Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

Health chiefs voted unanimously on Thursday to move towards the closure of Huddersfield’s A&E department.

But the defiant message from campaign group #HandsOffHRI is: “The gloves are off – let’s fight.”

The campaign, which will be highlighted on the BBC’s The One Show next week, suffered a blow on Thursday.

But even though Huddersfield and Calderdale NHS chiefs voted through their controversial plan the fight is far from over.

#HandsOffHRI campaign secretary Nicola Jowett said: “It’s time to ramp it up and do whatever we can.

“Most people have said: ‘The gloves are off – let’s fight them.

“Nobody has said: ‘Let’s give up.

“If people channel their anger into doing something constructive we will be stronger than ever.”

The campaign holds a strategy meeting on Tuesday which will be followed by a fundraising variety night at St Patrick’s Catholic Club, Trinity Street, on November 19.

There will also be a public meeting with Yogi Amin of solicitors Irwin Mitchell, at Lord Street Methodist Mission, on November 21 (7pm).

Nicola added: “The CCGs are only fighting for money. We are fighting for our children and that makes us a lot more dangerous.”

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#HandsOffHRI also received a supportive message from Save Lewisham Hospital which defeated Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt over a plan to downgrade the South East London hospital.

Save Lewisham Hospital spokesperson Vicky Penner said: “They (the CCGs) implied that the community and media ‘misunderstood’ the proposal. Utter tosh!

“There is a huge difference between an urgent care centre and a proper A&E and local people in Huddersfield understand very clearly what’s going on which is why HRI has become such a massive community movement.

“You must get the message out there that the fight continues.

“We know how gutted you must be that common sense didn’t prevail yet, but this is not over and is sadly going on in local areas right across the country.

“Go HRI – there are lots of people behind you.”