Dear Father Christmas, Can we have a new hospital? That was the message from campaigners as they presented more than 2,500 'letters to Santa' to North West Norfolk MP James Wild, calling for the crumbling Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn to be replaced.

The Save The QEH group collected them in less than a month. Member Jo Rust said the total showed the depth of concern regarding the QEH and the need to replace it.

She added weekly demonstrations would continue outside the hospital to highlight the issue.

Originally built with an expected working life of 30 years, the hospital is still operational more than four decades later.

More than 200 props are needed to prevent its roof from collapsing, while it waits to find out if it will be one of eight new builds approved by government in the New Year from a list of 120 expressions of interest.

The QEH was not included in a list of 40 new hospitals announced by Boris Johnson in October, 2020.

But the hospital has been awarded £20m in funding, which is being used for a new endoscopy unit, an eye centre and outpatients' unit.

There are fears that rather than a new hospital, the QEH could be rebuilt in phases.

"Under the Department of Health and Social Care's criteria, they could class the endoscopy unit and the re-purposed Fermoy Unit as a new hospital," said Ms Rust. "It is a grave concern."

Mr Wild told campaigners he would continue to keep up the pressure for a new hospital.

“QEH has a compelling case to be part of the government’s new hospital programme which I’ve been making to ministers in Westminster," he said.

"I was pleased to meet local campaigners and collect their letters of support which demonstrate the strong backing for major investment in addition to the new endoscopy unit, West Norfolk eye centre, and outpatient unit that have been funded this year.”

Almost 10,000 people have signed an EDP petition calling for a new hospital at tinyurl.com/ycxs6nfn.