STAFF have reacted with anger to the news Trowbridge Hospital will definitely close.

At a meeting this morning they were told beds in the hospital will be reduced from 34 to 22 in September with a further 12 being slashed in December. This will leave just 10 beds.

The entire hospital will be shut in July 2009, including the award-winning maternity unit and the emergency unit.

A source who attended the meeting said: "The workers are very angry. They haven't been told anything about jobs but obviously people are worried about losing them if there's no hospitals to work in."

Staff were also told Melksham Hospital would lose all its beds in September this year while at the same time Warminster Hospital will have its beds reduced to just 20.

Commenting on the closures, West Wilts MP Dr Andrew Murrison said: "I am appalled by this news of wholesale closure and scaling back of community hospital provision in Wiltshire.

"Clearly the leaked plans we have heard of will damage healthcare in my constituency and I urge PCT Board memebers to think again.

"When the PCT is good enough to let me have sight of the plans I will be able to comment more fully."