CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save hospital wards from closure say talks about their future will exclude the public.

Bishop Auckland General Hospital's boss has agreed to meet community leaders to discuss plans to close two wards, but campaigners are calling for a public meeting.

John Saxby, chief executive of County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, will meet the Wear Valley Local Strategic Partnership - a committee of public servants, volunteers and business leaders.

But the meeting will not be open to the public.

Bishop Auckland councillor Sam Zair, a leading member of the Save Ward Three campaign, said: "We have asked for a public meeting, our MP has asked for a public meeting and one of our MEPs has asked for a public meeting, but we still haven't got it.

"Nothing will be cleared up until we have that public meeting, and the 10,000 people who signed the petition against the closure of ward three deserve nothing less."

The hospital was opened by the Prime Minister in 2002. It cost £67m and was paid for through a Private Finance Initiative.

The NHS trust is closing ward three, a 28-bed medical unit, and also considering closing ward nine.

It says the wards are not being used enough to make them cost effective.

Helen Goodman, Bishop Auckland's MP, and Fiona Hall, one of the town's MEPs, have backed campaigners' calls for Mr Saxby to discuss the changes at a public meeting.

Mrs Goodman said that Mr Saxby should explain his medium-term plans for the hospital at a Patient and Public Involvement Forum. She said: "It's clear that people don't understand what's going on, so it's very important that Mr Saxby gives people a chance to ask him questions."

Ms Hall said: "Mr Saxby is showing a disregard for the way people feel.

"Surely it would be common sense to have an open discussion."

A spokesman for the NHS trust yesterday declined to say whether Mr Saxby will attend a public meeting.

He will meet Wear Valley Local Strategic Partnership on Monday, February 26, in the Civic Centre, Crook.

* The first Barnard Castle Book Fair took place on Saturday organised by the Save Our Hospitals Services Group, which has been campaigning for several months against the closure of ward three at Bishop Auckland Hospital.

There were 17 sellers in the Witham Hall, in Horsemarket.