FORMER health chiefs have said that staff who removed a plaque bearing the name of an outspoken ex-chairman should be "thoroughly ashamed of themselves."

Three members of a board which used to run local services have written to East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust bosses to express their "dismay" at the move.

The Lancashire Telegraph reported last week that a sign for an auditorium named after Ian Woolley, former chairman of Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care Trust, had been removed from the new Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Mr Woolley - the last chairman before the merger with its Burnley counterpart to form East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust - has been a vocal critic of the way health bosses went on to run the service after he retired in 2003.

He said he thought this had led to the sign being taken down.

Trust bosses denied this and said they were examining all signage to ensure it "adequately reflects" its East Lancashire identity.

Another sign bearing the name of his father - a former trust chairman - to mark the opening of the paediatric wing was also removed.

The letter was signed by three of the five non-executive members of the former authority. The letter, from Michael Madigan, Marion Ramsbottom and Eileen Scott, has been sent to Jo Cubbon and Christine Kirk, chief executive and chairman of ELHT.

It said: "Ian Woolley did not seek such an honour.

"Whoever instructed the removal of the sign and plaques should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves."

Trust chiefs said plaques and signs had been taken down during building work at the hospital.

But the former directors said the plaques were not affected by the building work.

A trust spokesman confirmed that the letter had been received. Mr Woolley said yesterday: "I am very grateful to former colleagues for expressing themselves so strongly on this matter. It is wonderful to have their support.

"I can only hope that the people who removed these historic plaques see sense and put them back where they belong."