A silent vigil is to be held outside Savernake Hospital as time runs out for its life-saving Minor Injuries Unit.

Members of the Wiltshire Primary Care Trust have ignored all requests to delay the closure of the unit, although they are facing a High Court challenge over their decision.

It is due to close on September 30 at 10pm.

Campaigner Val Compton, who applied for a judicial review in the High Court over the PCT's actions, has joined forces with Friends of Savernake Hospital committee member Janet Louth to plan the vigil.

Posters have gone up in Marlborough and Pewsey seeking volunteers to man the protest line outside the hospital throughout the last week of the unit, from 8am to 10pm between September 24 and 30, when the doors to the unit close.

Those willing to take part should ring Mrs Louth on (01672) 513868 or call in at Henry George estate agents in Kingsbury Street and put their names on a rota.

Mrs Louth, whose three children were born in Savernake Hospital, said it was hoped to get as many people as possible taking part in the silent protest every day.

On the final Sunday, between 8pm to 10pm, it is hoped to get enough people to link hands and form a ring around the hospital building to show solidarity for keeping services open.

The protest will encompass the closure of Savernake's day hospital and the impending loss of its Farmer Unit for patients with dementia.

Mrs Louth said: "We want to show the PCT how strongly the people of Marlborough feel about keeping Savernake Hospital open."

In a press statement yesterday the PCT said: "From October 1 there will be two Minor Injury Units in Wiltshire: one in Trowbridge, which will be open 24 hours, seven days a week, and one in Chippenham, which will be open 7am to 1am seven days a week.

"Minor injury services will also be available from the Clover Unit adjacent to the Great Western Hospital in Swindon as well as at the Andover MIU, at walk-in centres in Bath and Swindon and a range of other locations."

Jenny Barker, managing director of Wiltshire community health services, said: "The new arrangements will ensure safe, high quality care consistently, as patients and staff will know what is available and when."

With the closure of the day hospital, its work has been transferred to a community team of nurses who visit patients in their own homes.

Savernake Hospital will have 24 inpatient beds and there would continue to be outpatient and rehabilitation services, radiology and other diagnostic services on the site.

The PCT has re-assessed the services at all Wiltshire hospitals in a bid to recover some of its massive debts of more than £20 million.

Devizes Hospital has been scheduled for closure and its maternity unit has been shut along with the one in Malmesbury.