Future Fit: Jeremy Corbyn demands both of Shropshire's A&E departments should stay open

The Labour Party leader said he wants to ensure there is proper emergency care at both the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Telford's Princess Royal Hospital.

Mr Corbyn, who grew up in Newport, said it is vital both departments stay open.

He said: "I want to make sure there is proper A&E facilities across Shropshire.

"I grew up in Newport and I remember the discussions about opening those A&E departments in the first place.

"There need to be A&E departments in reasonable reach of everyone's homes so that, obviously, emergency cases can be dealt with quickly."

His comments have been welcomed by campaigners who have been working in the county to voice their concerns about the ongoing Future Fit programme to reorganise hospital services in the county.

Gill George, chairman of the Shropshire Defend our NHS, said: "I welcome what Jeremy Corbyn is saying and we whole-heartedly agree.

"Shropshire Defend our NHS is not a party-political campaign but we absolutely welcome the input of such a high profile public figure such as Jeremy Corbyn."

Ms George said the group is continuing to campaign to keep two emergency departments covering Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.

Mr Corbyn spent much of his childhood living on Pave Lane in Newport.

He moved to Shropshire when he was seven, the family living in the seven-bedroom Yew Tree Manor in Pave Lane, with Jeremy initially attending Newport's fee-paying Castle House School.

He later attended the town's Adams' Grammar School where, by his own admission, he was "not a very good student" but began to become politically active.

On October 5, the Future Fit programme board had been due to make a decision on its preferred option for the future of hospital services, but that was delayed for a month after Future Fit officials blamed a legal challenge by Telford & Wrekin Council, which threatened a judicial review after leaked documents revealed that it could mean the closure of A&E at Telford's Princess Royal Hospital and the transfer of services from its two-year-old £28million Women and Children's Centre to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

No announcement has yet been made and now officials admit the real reason for the hold-up is because they need NHS "feedback" before a decision is made.

It has also been revealed that there is no "Plan B" to the Future Fit review if NHS England says it will not fund the proposals.

NHS England feedback is needed by November 28 to allow the process to move forward.