Almost 3,000 people have signed a petition calling for a new hospital for West Norfolk.

Parts of the roof have to be propped up at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King;s Lynn, while some critically-ill patients have had to be moved to other hospitals.

After missing out on funding for a new-build in a list of 40 hospitals announced by prime minister Boris Johnson last year, the QEH is now waiting to hear whether it will one of eight further new-builds planned for after 2025.

Maintaining the roof for the next decade will cost £550m, while a new hospital would cost £650m.

On Friday, the EDP launched a petition to show the strength of support in the community for funding to be found now. Many of those signing have left comments saying why.

Winter Johnston posted: "King's Lynn hospital staff have been doing an outstanding job during the Covid crisis despite unacceptable pressures and difficulties from the outdated and dangerous fabric of the building.

"An ITU that is collapsing with patients in danger is horrific and unacceptable. Patients had to be moved urgently. Now the government must act urgently to rectify this please. Staff need to be helped not hindered."

Kate Higgins said: "The hospital is becoming unfit for purpose. There is no point in trying to patch it up. A new hospital would be more cost effective in long term and better for the growing numbers of residents in West Norfolk."

Eastern Daily Press: A crack in the ceiling where a concrete plank holding up the roof of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn has distortedA crack in the ceiling where a concrete plank holding up the roof of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn has distorted (Image: submitted)

Janice Frankland added: "This hospital covers a wide area, the population of which is expanding all the time. We need a local hospital which is fit for purpose. I don't have a car to travel further afield."

Mavis Gillett said: "This is our main hospital and we deserve to have a safe place to get well at."

Kevin Mortimer posted: "I'm signing because the staff at this my local hospital are fantastic and deserve a lot better as do we, the patients."

To add your voice to the campaign, go to https://www.change.org/p/matthew-hancock-mp-build-a-new-hospital-for-king-s-lynn.