Protestors gathered at King George Hospital on Saturday to demand A&E closure plans are scrapped.

The department is due to be axed in 2015 as part of a restructure of hospitals across north east London.

More than 300 beds are due to be closed in total as acute services are moved out of the hospital, in Barley Lane, Goodmayes.

Save King George Hospital campaigner Andy Walker said around 30 people joined the protest.

He added: “It’s been two years since the closure decision and there’s really no plan for it to happen.

“It’s got to be stopped.”

Trust managers insist the closure of A&E will lead to better care for patients at other hospitals and community care and prevention will be improved.

But MPs, councillors and campaigners have fought the move for years, saying services for local people are being “decimated”.

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT) must demonstrate improvements at the A&E at Queen’s Hospital before downgrading services at King George.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) issued a formal warning to hospital chiefs in July after finding the department failed to meet standards including care and welfare and staffing.