PENDLE'S civic leaders have vowed to fight proposals which could see the end of Burnley General Hospital's intensive care unit.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is reviewing its services and one option put forward could see the intensive care unit at Burnley General moved to Blackburn.

Councillors are furious about the idea and fear lives will be lost if residents have to be taken to Blackburn or Keighley for emergency attention.

Coun Tonia Barton said: "My father was taken ill four years ago last Christmas and without the dedication and support of staff in the high dependency and intensive care unit he wouldn't have stood a chance. If there is anything I can personally do to help I will.

"You can't expect people to go to Blackburn. If you've got a relative in intensive care or the high dependency unit you want to spend as much time with them as you can."

Coun Ann Kerrigan said: "If you go to intensive care you are admitted as an emergency. The time factor of getting from Barnoldswick to Burnley General Hospital is shorter than getting to Blackburn.

"I wouldn't like to think that people's lives are at risk because of the distance. Burnley Hospital is also a big employer and I wouldn't want people to lose their jobs."

Coun John David said people had an 'emotional attachment' to Burnley, adding: "There are heart attacks, strokes, road traffic accidents and they all require pretty skilful doctoring and nursing. We are always complaining in this borough that we have a lack of skills and this will have a significant effect on that. People will naturally go to live in Blackburn or further on the Fylde.

"You can see the scenario. The intensive care unit is closed and so major surgery is not being done. Simple elective procedures will remain, the other staff won't. So the theatres will go. Then instead of half a dozen they find we only need two or three and that's uneconomic. This has to be fought."

Hospital chiefs have stressed the issue had yet to go out for consultation.