NHS bosses would have the shock of their lives if they tried to touch Southend's "excellent" cancer services, a leading councillor said today.

Reg Copley believes the public could campaign fierecely against any threat to the town's cancer centre at Southend Hospital.

He spoke out after a report from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice) - part of the National Health Service suggested a shake-up in cancer services.

Specialist centres like the one in Southend could be moved away to areas with populations of more than one million, the nine-page document said.

Mr Copley, Labour councillor for St Luke's ward, revealed he had a prostate operation at Southend Hospital last month. He said: "The operation was a great success and I wrote to the hospital to say how excellent the service was.

"I was part of the last campaign in the 1980s which resulted in the hospital becoming a specialist centre in the first place and getting Government money.

"If anyone tries to remove it, there will be a campaign as strong as the one which led to it being established. If people are going to think about moving it, they will have the shock of their lives."

Meanwhile MP for Rochford and Southend East Sir Teddy Taylor branded the proposals "crazy".

He said: "I genuinely think it's utter madness to close a fantastic cancer centre, particularly considering the national investment which has been poured into it."

Published Wednesday December 19, 2001