Mid Sussex MP Nicholas Soames said: "I am absolutely thrilled and delighted for everyone in Mid Sussex that the primary care trust's decisions have been referred to the Secretary of State and the Independent Review Panel.

"This will ensure that an independent eye is given to proposals which had little or no public support at all."

At its meeting in Chichester yesterday, the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee decided unanimously to refer the Fit for the Future plans, which propose basing a single consultant-led maternity unit for the county in Worthing, threatening the future of the Princess Royal's unit.

Mr Soames said: "We will now prepare the most formidable and detailed case to submit to the Secretary of State and I shall be taking a delegation to see him in the early autumn.

"This is really good news and I am so grateful to all those local people who turned out to march shoulder to shoulder in support of our much treasured and essential local health facilities. We will not let them down in the next stage of this arduous process.

"In particular I want to thank the wonderful work done by the Support the Princess Royal Hospital Campaign whose efforts have been heroic and very successful."

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