FEARS have been raised that extra beds may not be provided at a new £97m hospital.

The University Hospital of North Durham, in Durham city, has fewer beds than the hospital it replaced - Dryburn - and there have been calls for more.

The Liberal Democrats, who now control Durham City Council, attracted 5,000 signatures on their petition to the Department of Health for at least 50 extra beds.

Since the hospital was built under the controversial Private Finance Initiative, some services have been provided on a county-wide basis.

County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals Trust said it was looking at providing more beds.

Carol Woods, a city council cabinet member and Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, said she has been told the plan has been ditched.

She said: "I have heard that it has been decided that over the trust as a whole, there are sufficient beds.

"I think that is incredibly unfair for the people of Durham.

"It seems now that the additional beds are not going to happen, and I would urge the trust to reconsider and give the people of Durham the facilities they need in Durham.''

She added that the Department of Health, in a reply to the petition, said "analysis demonstrated a need for more beds".

A trust spokesman said in a statement that it was "continuing to work on a business case and the most appropriate way of providing the additional beds required at University Hospital".

He said: "A number of alternatives are being pursued and, as yet, no decision has been made."