AN ex-health chief fears more services will soon be axed at Fairfield Hospital and that the closure of the special care baby unit is just "the tip of the iceberg".

Vera Stringer, the former chairman of the Bury Health Care NHS Trust, was "gutted " to hear the proposals so soon after Fairfield turned into a "super-hospital" following the closure of Bury General.

The former nurse feels so strongly that she has joined the growing campaign of protest.

Mrs Stringer said: "I feel very let down. A lot of people worked very hard to turn Fairfield into the medical centre it is today.

"The people of Bury don't deserve having their hospital closed and that's my fear -- acute services will be moved to other hospitals."

She added: "Why should the mothers of Bury have to travel miles to see their child? My child was born into a special care unit so I know how it feels, which is why I'm supporting the Babies First campaign."

The campaign, organised by the Fairfield Baby Lifeline Society, is protesting against recommendations to close the special care unit and replace it with a 24-hour midwifery-led centre. Any child needing special, or overnight care, would be transferred to a neighbouring hospital.

The proposals, developed by the Children's and Young People's Network, are subject to a three-month public consultation period starting in October and are part of a major shake-up to modernise the "outdated" child health services throughout Greater Manchester.

Mrs Stringer argued: "The issue is far wider than just the closure of the special care unit, I am very concerned that this is just the tip of the iceberg."

But the Pennine Acute Trust is eager to reassure a sceptical public that Fairfield has a "strong future"-- even if the proposals were implemented.

A trust spokesperson said: "The possibility of Fairfield closing was the first question asked when the proposals were announced and Chris Appleby, chief executive of the Pennine Trust, was happy to reiterate that Fairfield will NOT be closing.

"Anyone with fears of future closures should read our Emerging Vision document which re-states our commitment to Fairfield as a site."

The Emerging Vision document is accessible via www.burypct.nhs.uk.