A CAMPAIGN to re-open Bolton's axed walk-in centre is being taken to the streets on Saturday.

Bolton North East MP David Crausby is launching a petition outside Lever Chambers to resurrect the centre which was closed in July 2012.

He is urging Bolton residents to support his campaign to bring back the facility by joining him to sign the petition outside its former headquarters from 11am.

The move comes after Mr Crausby tabled an early day motion in parliament to lobby the government into pushing Clinical Commissioning Groups to restore shut centres, including Lever Chambers.

As reported in The Bolton News last week, Mr Crausby believes the closure of Lever Chambers has led to more people turning up at A&E, while health chiefs say that the nurse-led centre created 'a demand that hadn't been there before'.

Mr Crausby said: "The walk-in centre provided an excellent service that was convenient for local residents, its closure has clearly contributed to the pressure being placed on our local GPs and the A&E.

"Since I suggested re-opening the walk-in centre the strength of support has been overwhelming. I want to bring all of these voices together so that the CCG can see how strongly people feel about this and I'll be out this weekend asking people to sign my petition."

Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) says it is investing £3.4 million into GP practices across the borough to reduce the pressure on A&E.

A spokesman said: "We did not see an immediate increase in demand at A&E following the closure of the walk in centre.

"The main cause of current pressures on A&E departments nationally is the number of frail elderly residents becoming very ill due to serious and complex health conditions."

Mr Crausby's early day motion to parliament calls for MPs to support: "That this house believes that it is unacceptable to shut accident and emergency (A&E) departments when patients have nowhere else to seek treatment; notes that NHS walk-in centres played a major role in reducing the numbers of patients attending A&E; and calls on the government to encourage clinical commissioning groups right across the country to reintroduce walk-in centres."