HEALTH chiefs have underestimated the strength of feeling about plans to axe beds at community hospitals across Hampshire for the second time in two days.

About 200 people made their anger clear at a public meeting in Milford-on-Sea yesterday. The same number were turned away or forced to stand listening at emergency exits around the village's church hall.

It follows the cancellation of another consultation meeting at Hythe Community Centre on Wednesday night because the venue was too small.

Cash-strapped health bosses want to close 106 beds, mainly used by elderly patients, at community hospitals in Lyndhurst, Hythe, Fordingbridge, Milford and Romsey.

New Forest Primary Care Trust needs to make savings of £17m to balance its books and claims the bed closures will improve services.

Trust chiefs propose to offer after-care in patients' homes or in clinics.

Chief executive John Richards said the changes would lead to improved services.

They would help people live independently, support people with long-term health needs and reduce hospital admissions where appropriate, he said.

No one at Milford-on-Sea seemed impressed.

Julia Badham, chairman of Milford Hospital's League of Friends, said 24 per cent of the population of the village was aged 75-plus.

"Are your teams able to provide 24-hour care for these people? How are you going to cope if you close all the beds?" she demanded.

New Forest West MP Desmond Swayne stood up at the end of the meeting and said: "If it comes to it, we'll occupy the hospital and run it ourselves."

Meanwhile health chiefs have come under fire over the abandonment of the Hythe public meeting.

Hythe councillor Maureen Robinson said: "It puts the health service in a bad light."

A trust spokesman said: "We will be arranging another meeting in Hythe in the near future."