MORE than 100 people are expected to attend a rally in a North-East town in support of the NHS.

The 999 Call for the NHS rally, which will feature a handful of speakers talking about the importance of protecting health services, takes place in Darlington, on Saturday (July 27).

Organiser Joanna Adams hopes NHS workers disillusioned at the coalition Government’s treatment of the health service will attend.

She hopes the event will encourage more people to become politically active.

Support for the rally has grown via Twitter and Facebook in recent weeks, with more than £500 pledged in online donations.

Recently-added speakers include Darlington Borough Council leader Bill Dixon, GMB union national organiser Rehana Azam and Gateshead MP Ian Mearns.

Mrs Adams said she had invited Conservative and Liberal Democrat politicians to attend the rally, but none had been willing to take part.

She said: “I am really excited about Saturday and I am amazed by the support we have had.

“I put a link on Twitter asking for donations towards costs – we needed about £500 and we have received every single penny.

“That was the biggest surprise to me.”

Mrs Adams says the online support has been so strong that other 999 rallies are being planned, with one in Middlesbrough expected in September.

Similar events outside the region have also been mooted.

She added: “Even though the rally is this weekend, the results are already starting to happen.

“One of the things I wanted to do was engage with people, get them involved and show them that they do not need to be politicians or political activists to have their say - I have a full-time job and two children.

“This is not rocket science and it is important.”

The rally starts at noon on Saturday, near the Joseph Pease statue in Darlington town centre. For more information, follow @999CallforNHS on Twitter.