Santa brings early Christmas cheer to camp at Stafford's County Hospital
Protesters who set up camp at the County Hospital in Stafford were in high spirits after they got a surprise visit from Father Christmas.
The man in red called in at the camp on Sunday to bring a welcome dose of early festive cheer to the campaigners who moved onto the site nearly four months ago in protest against the transfer of some services.
Campaigners insist they have no intention of leaving the hospital in Stafford despite new bosses taking over the reins.
Event organiser and support Stafford Hospital campaigner Jan Kelly, of Hixon, says Father Christmas had taken part in the Jarrow to London march organised by the group 999NHS and had heard that there would be no festive parade at the Stafford hospital.
"He was amazing and the kids really loved him. We took him inside to the Shugborough ward to see the young patients and he just captivated them. The visit went really well. He had been on part of the mums' march that was organised from Darlington.
"The 999NHS group is getting bigger and bigger with the various hospital campaign groups uniting. It's not just for Stafford, but for every district hospital in the country," Mrs Kelly, aged 66, said.
Around 30 tents remain at the waterlogged grounds, despite previous problems with high winds that damaged some of them.
There were fears the new management team from the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust would make them move on. But so far, the chiefs who took over the hospital on November 1, have let them stay.
Bosses have announced that 60 beds are to be reopened at the hospital in Stafford as part of a major overhaul of services.
But there are concerns that the children's ward and consultant-led maternity unit will be relocated to Stoke on Trent.
