DARLINGTON'S MP has added her voice to those criticising a petition to 'save' the town's accident and emergency (A&E) department, despite repeated assurances about its future.

Jenny Chapman held a meeting with Sue Jacques, chief executive of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust on Friday (September 26).

The online petition –which now appears to have been taken down – was discussed at the meeting, which also included representatives from Darlington Borough Council and Darlington Clinical Commissioning Group.

Thousands of people signed a petition against 'any proposal' to close the A&E department at Darlington Memorial Hospital (DMH).

The foundation trust, which runs the hospital, has repeatedly stated that there are no plans to close the department and has announced investment of £2.5m in its expansion.

Social media users had begun sharing and signing the petition online, which resulted in criticism from councillors at a full meeting of the council last week.

The councillors' comments appear to have had the desired effect, with the petition now no longer available on campaign website 38 Degrees.

Describing the petition as 'mischief-making', Mrs Chapman said: "The future of A&E in Darlington was on the agenda at the meeting and I received cast-iron assurances that it will not be moving to James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.

"Apart from anything else, the A&E at James Cook would not be able to cope with the additional work.

"I am more than annoyed about it, because we have got a number of services, which are genuinely important and which have moved [from DMH], that I am trying to get back to Darlington.

"This is an unhelpful distraction."

Mrs Chapman referred to breast cancer clinics, which were controversially – albeit, temporarily – moved from Darlington to Bishop Auckland in May.

She added: "People in Darlington are getting worried about the future of services at the hospital and, because breast cancer services were moved so quickly, without consultation, people are very willing to believe the same may happen to other services."

Mrs Chapman said it was 'a real shame' that the 'irresponsible' petition may have diverted some people's attention away from genuine causes, such fighting for breast cancer clinics.

The petition was started by former Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Nigel Boddy, who defected to the Conservatives in 2007.

Mr Boddy was unavailable for comment when contacted by The Northern Echo on Monday (September 29).