Both Southend and Colchester Hospitals confirmed they will fight against each other to run a specialist cancer service.

NHS England wants to close one of the specialist urology cancer services, either at Southend or Colchester, because they treat too few people.

Treatment will be given at just one site which the Department of Health says should serve one million people.

Jon Findlay, chief operating officer at Southend Hospital, said: “We have confirmed our intention to bid to provide a specialist urological cancer service on behalf of NHS England specialist commissioning.

“We are currently finalising the full details of our submission which as part of the competitive process is due to be presented to an evaluation panel in February.”

The Echo launched a campaign last year to save Southend’s service as patients would face a 100-mile round trip if they had to go to Colchester for treatment.

It is thought Southend’s bid would include teaming up with Basildon and Broomfield Hospitals because combining three hospitals into one south Essex centre would mean they could treat the one million patients Department of Health guidelines requires.

Colchester Hospital did not release details of its bid but a spokesman confirmed they have submitted a formal expression of interest to keep their service.

More than 2,300 people signed an Echo petition to keep the centre, which treats people who have cancer of the kidneys, bladder, prostate and testicles, in Southend.

NHS England, which commissions the specialist surgery centres in Southend and Colchester, wants to shut one of them because national clinical guidance suggests each should serve one million people and treat at least 50 cases a year.

Until 18 months ago Southend was reaching the 50-case target, but is about 200,000 people short of treating the one million threshold required.

Once submissions have been made, a decision will be made on which site is allowed to keep the cancer service in the Autumn.

The new service will then launch in early 2017.