Health campaigners are being urged to take part in a protest outside Leeds Crown Court this week.

Members of the Hands Off HRI campaign group will be outside the court from 9.30am on Thursday ahead of a court hearing on their bid for a judicial review of plans to downgrade HRI and close the A&E.

Hands Off HRI has already had its bid to hold a judicial review rejected by a judge and will appeal that decision on Thursday from 10.30am.

A Hands Off HRI spokesman said: “The group has amassed legal evidence and experts to challenge the downgrade of Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and the closure of A&E.

“Although the Independent Reconfiguration Panel has now made its recommendation to the Secretary of State which we now await, the Panel does not have the power to halt the closure plan. It can only recommend that there is a further independent review of the evidence and visit the local area to meet up with stakeholders.

“It is the view of Hands Off HRI’s legal team that the proposals are also potentially illegal and they need to be tested in law.

The hearing on Thursday March 15 will consider all the evidence.

“However, this will only be the first stage of the legal case and is in effect, a ‘permission’ hearing where a judge will consider if there is sufficient legal merit to the case for it to proceed to a full judicial review. It is hoped that the judge will make a decision on the same day and Hands Off HRI will know if they have a case.”

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The spokesman urged supporters to join a protest outside the court.

“We have been waiting two years to get our case before the court, so this is a vital time for the campaign.

“The hopes of our community now rest on a favourable outcome. Our legal team will be presenting our latest surveyors’ report which questions a lot of the premise of the original business case.

“We are asking our supporters who are free on Thursday to turn up at Leeds Crown Court at 9.30am where we will hold a peaceful protest before going into the court to support our legal team.”