A COUNCILLOR who is fighting plans to close ambulance stations is predicting that hundreds will attend a showdown public meeting.

County councillor John Shuttleworth and his supporters have been leafleting homes in the St John's Chapel area of Upper Weardale in the past few days.

Coun Shuttleworth, who says that the plans could cost lives, estimates that his team has delivered letters to 700 homes in the area.

Next Tuesday's meeting in St John's Chapel Town Hall, at 7pm, will be the culmination of more than 30 public meetings hosted by the North-East Ambulance Service (NEAS) to explain the proposals.

As part of national moves to modernise ambulance services, NEAS wants to remove permanently-manned ambulance stations in St John's Chapel, Middleton-in-Teesdale and Barnard Castle, staffed by standby crew.

This system relies on staff being roused from their beds to answer 999 calls after working a 12-hour shift.

Instead, NEAS wants to provide ambulance cover through community paramedics who would work on a 24-hour shift system, travelling to incidents using a car or motorbike.

If necessary, an ambulance could be dispatched to provide back-up. NEAS says this would provide a better service for rural areas.

But NEAS is encountering opposition across County Durham. The plans have already been criticised by Barnard Castle Town Council and triggered a 1,000-strong petition in Teesdale opposing the move.

Tuesday's meeting, called by Coun Shuttleworth, will be attended by NEAS chairman Tony Dell.

Coun Shuttleworth promised NEAS officers a warm welcome.

"I would be very surprised if there are not 200 people there on the night," he said.

Mark Cotton, spokesman for NEAS, said the meetings had been incredibly useful, but he denied that everyone was opposed to change.

"We have received a lot of support from GPs, patients' forums and members of the public," he said.

The proposals will be subject to a 12-week period of public consultation.