NEW road signs claiming that Halton Hospital has an accident and emergency unit were condemned this week as "misleading" and "inaccurate".

Runcorn mum Maureen Mainwaring has been campaigning for an A&E unit for 16 years since her son Jimmy, 18, was killed in a road accident just yards from the hospital.

She said:"These signs are very misleading. Halton Hospital hasn't got an accident and emergency unit - it is only a minor injury unit.

"It is very worrying."

Maureen, of Halton Brook, has raised more than £40,000 for lifesaving equipment at Halton Hospital.

The new signs in red writing direct motorists to 'accident and emergency (not 24 hours)'.

A spokesman for Halton Council confirmed that it had put the signs in question up just after Christmas at the request of Halton Hospital.

He said:"These are temporary signs which are designed to highlight the approach to the hospital complex so that people don't get lost.

"If the wording is causing some confusion, the council is happy to liaise again with the hospital and to amend the signs until such a time as the replacing of the expressway signs takes place."

Halton Hospital was unavailable for comment as the World went to press on Tuesday.

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