First patients are turned away from Grantham Hospital A&E after temporary closure begins

Debbie Grinnell, one of the protestors present, said: “People were very angry again as it was the first night when A&E was closed.

“At 8pm a car pulled up carrying a boy with a badly broken leg - they had been told they had to go to Lincoln for treatment.

“We also spoke to a lady from Sleaford who arrived with a sick child who was also informed that A&E was closed for the day and to drive to Lincoln instead.

“These people weren’t very happy as you can imagine - they were horrified they couldn’t get any help in Grantham.”

Wednesday’s vigil was the second protest event after 300 people attended a similar gathering at the hospital on Saturday. A&E services are closed at Grantham from 6.30pm to 9am every day for three months so doctors can cover understaffed shifts at Lincoln and Boston Hospitals. The situation will be reviewed again in November.

Mrs Grinnell added: “We are going to stage a vigil every Wednesday outside the hospital for the whole three months and we would urge anyone who cares about the A&E department to join us.”