A public campaign to save the town's University Hospital from closure has gathered momentum as health officials review the way the NHS serves the town.

On Thursday evening, the health authority stated publicly that there were no plans to close the hospital in the immediate future.

But the town's MP, Peter Mandelson, said that was not the only concern of his constituents.

It's not just a question of whether the hospital is going to remain open... it is what sort of service and what sort of care is going to be available Peter Mandelson, MP

Tony Waites, chairman of the County Durham and Tees Valley Health Authority, said: "At the present time, as the review is developing, it is not a likelihood that the hospital will close in any immediate future.

"We do have to look, as one of the options, in the long term, whether or not a single hospital serving north of the Tees is the most effective solution.

"But, very clearly, it would take at least six years in any case if we decided tomorrow to do [close the hospital].

"What we are doing here is looking at the development of services, the most appropriate way of delivering those services and the hospital plays a most important part in that in the foreseeable future."

Mr Mandelson said: "They are concerned that there is going to be a 'salami slicing' of services provided by the hospital.

"Almost by stealth, year in year out, [they are concerned] you are going to see a drift away from the town of resources, of clinical staff, of consultants, of specialist services.

"For me it's not just a question of whether the hospital is going to remain open or not, it is what sort of service and what sort of care is going to be available in Hartlepool given that the hospital is likely to stay open for some time."