YORK MP Hugh Bayley joined campaigners fighting to save York’s threatened respite care centre and vowed to take the protest to parliament.

Mr Bayley attended the demonstration earlier today at Woodlands, the respite centre off Hull Road for people with multiple sclerosis, while the centre held a garden fete and barbecue.

He said he had spoken to Simon Gillespie, chief executive of the MS Society, who had promised to come to Westminster on September 8 when Mr Bayley will table a motion asking the MS Society to think again.

Mr Bayley said he wanted assurance from the MS Society, should they not reverse their decision, that they will not close the centre until another care provider comes forward to take over.

The MS Society no longer intends to run Woodlands and three other respite centres across the country and they will be shut unless someone else comes forward to take them over.

The society has said its decision will allow it to invest in more individualised and personalised services for MS sufferers but the announcement has been met with dismay and anger.

Graham Kilmartin, 70, has been suffering with MS for 26 years and visits Woodlands twice a year. Speaking at the protest he said: “I am devastated that Woodlands could close. What do we do from here? Where do we go?

“I want to see it remain open and for the fantastic care to continue.”

Jackie Chapman has been a volunteer with the York branch of the MS Society for 20 years.

She said: “The MS Society are of the opinion not many people want or need respite care. If that is true then why are so many people angry?

“People with MS should be given a choice what care they want, but now a choice has been taken away.”

The society's AGM next month will debate three resolutions -one backing the decision, one calling for it to be suspended and the other a vote of no confidence.

A spokesperson for the MS Society said all outcomes would be considered very carefully by the Trustees.