Protesters were expected to turn out at AFC Telford United’s New Bucks Head stadium today to show the red card to proposals to downgrade the Princess Royal Hospital.

A rally was organised at the football club to protest against the controversial plans, which would see accident & emergency and paediatric services downscaled and moved to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Party leaders on Telford & Wrekin Council backed the protest and said they hoped it would sway the minds of decision makers as a crunch meeting looms at the end of the month.

The board of Telford & Wrekin PCT is to meet on October 27, when a decision will be made to go ahead with the proposals or defer for further consultation.

Telford & Wrekin Council leader, Councillor Andrew Eade, said: “This rally is about local people wanting to show their opposition to the proposals to remove services from the Princess Royal Hospital.

“The community and the council is united in its opposition to the effective downgrading of our hospital.”

Bosses at AFC Telford hoped to net a few extra fans from the rally and offered a discount on admission for protesters to get into the game against Southport.

Meanwhile Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard is putting the final touches to his Save the PRH campaign and has urged patients, hospital staff and residents to return any outstanding petitions to him by Tuesday.

The petitions can be sent to his office at 25 Church Street, Wellington, or direct to the House of Commons by October 20.

The petition – already approaching 15,000 names – will then receive a final count before Mr Pritchard submits it to Parliament .