Local MPs and Councillors join residents in a protest march against hospital cuts.

Thousands of residents gathered in Southall Park on Saturday to join the protest march against plans to cut hospital services in North West London.

Ealing Southall MP Virendra Sharma and others made speeches before the start of the march. "You know why we are here." Now was the time to make your voices heard. It will be too late when the services are no longer there.

The marchers left the park at 11am via the Boyd Avenue entrance. They marched along Uxbridge Road and went past Ealing Hospital, through Hanwell and along New Broadway to Ealing Common.

The march from Southall was led by Ealing Southall MP Virendra Sharma, Ealing Council Leader Julian Bell and Dr Onkar Sahota, Ealing's representative on the Greater London Authority.

Some people were unable to walk the full distance while others joined en route. Young and old from all walks of life took part in the protest.

They were joined at Ealing Common by hundreds of marchers from Acton Park. They were addressed by the leaders of Ealing's three main political parties - Julian Bell (Labour), David Millican (Conservative) and Gary Malcolm (Lib Dem).

The local MPs present were Ealing Southall MP Virendra Sharma, Ealing North MP Steve Pound and Ealing Central MP Angie Bray.

Council leader Julian Bell said: "I’d like to thank everyone for turning up on Saturday and showing the NHS the strength of feeling against these plans. People in our borough will not accept these cuts and I’d urge the NHS to drop these ill-thought-out plans now."

"It beggars belief that the NHS think it’s acceptable to take away essential services including A&Es, intensive care, maternity and paediatric units and force sick people to travel further for regular treatment."