Labour councillors have called for Merton Council to "vigorously oppose" any attempt to close or reduce accident and emergency services at St Helier Hospital.

NHS South West London proposed last month that one A&E unit from Kingston, St Helier, St George’s or Mayday should close after a review of their services.

Out of the four hospitals only St Helier, which overspent by £12.6m this financial year and must cut £57m by 2016-17, is not expected to be "financially viable" in three years.

With St George’s already ruled out of any cuts, St Helier, Kingston or Croydon University hospitals could lose their A+E, but St Helier is widely thought to be most at risk.

Three Labour councillors tabled a motion at a full council meeting on Wednesday, March 28, in a bid to save the A&E unit at St Helier from future closure.

Councillor Nick Draper, who represents Colliers Wood ward, said: "There was a plan to form a trust with both St Georges and St Helier.

"Sadly that has fallen through which is a great shame and that puts St Helier in a very unenviable position.

"There is a plan to close St Helier down; it really is as simple as that.

"It’s not the sort of thing you want to lose without a fight.

"We all know it’s going to be difficult but we want to save that A&E. It is easily the most under threat.

"Kingston Hospital’s finances are in far better nick than St Helier and it does come down to that at the end of the day."

But Matthew Hopkins, the trust's chief executive of Epsom and St Helier Trust, said: "It is extremely important to remember that these are clinical recommendations for the NHS across the whole of south west London and that absolutely no decisions have been made.

"Furthermore, any proposals for changing services will be subject to full legal, public consultation."