BURY'S mental health services are the "Cinderella" of the country, say councillors.

Like the CHC, they too will write to health secretary Alan Milburn demanding sufficient money to re-open the ward.

Tory councillor Dorothy Gunther told the latest council meeting that she found theBury Times story about the ward closure distressing. She urged colleagues to follow the CHC and take it up at the highest level.

Coun Mike Connolly, executive member for health and social services, agreed.

"It has been a very serious concern to the trust board for some time," he said. "Pennine Care is the lowest funded mental health trust in the country, and Bury the lowest within that. Bury is a Cinderella service compared with others, till now funded by underspends from other authorities which have now ran out.

"I will be speaking to the strategic authority about an action plan, and I am happy to write to the ministers concerned about the funding that we receive."

Coun Connolly added that Pennine was upgrading the ward while it was closed.