Three cottage hospitals are set to lose ALL their beds - with the total number across north Cumbria dropping by 33.

The News & Star has seen figures which show Wigton, Maryport and Alston will be the biggest losers, as health bosses look to consolidate community beds on fewer sites.

Penrith would also lose four beds, while the overall number available will drop from 137 at current capacity to just 104.

However the remaining hospitals would likely secure a few extra beds, with 16-bedded wards planned for Brampton, Cockermouth, Keswick, Workington and Whitehaven's Copeland Unit.

It is understood that this is the preferred option being considered by the Success Regime, which was appointed by the Government to overhaul north Cumbria's troubled health system, which is about £80m in debt.

The News & Star understands that this consolidation of beds was discussed as part of the Pre Consultation Business Case (PCBC) required by NHS England and is believed to be the favoured option.

But the Success Regime, which has now extended its engagement period until the end of the summer holidays before publishing firm proposals, insists no decisions have yet been made.

A spokesman said: "The PCBC has not yet been finalised. It will be finalised and presented to NHS England during August.

"Any proposals for change with respect to in patient beds in community hospitals that emerge will be subject to public consultation. We anticipate this consultation will not begin until after the summer holidays and will publish the PCBC at the same time."

The reasoning behind the closures is largely due to staffing problems, with the Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust - which runs the cottage hospitals - struggling to recruit enough nurses.

There are currently 24 beds closed across the nine community hospital units due to staffing problems. The News & Star understands that this staffing crisis is worsening, and some hospitals currently running at what have been described as "fragile" staffing levels.

Long term - due to national safe staffing levels of one nurse to eight patients - bosses say it would be easier to recruit to fewer units with more beds. These would be in multiples of eight - eight, 16 or 24 - to optimise the safe staffing recommendations.

Wigton, Maryport and Alston are seen as the hospitals that require the most refurbishment and renovation - for which it is understood there is no extra budget being made available by the Government - hence why they are being singled out to lose their beds.

Local campaigners have been angered by the news, which they believe is short-sighted and purely a cost-cutting measure.

Eveline Dugdale, of both the county's Joint League of Friends and Wigton's League of friends groups, said they will continue to fight for the hospitals for the sake of their communities.

"They are talking about consolidating, but they are still going to lose 30-plus beds. What will that do to bed-blocking at Carlisle infirmary or Whitehaven? They don't seem to be listening," she said.

As far as Wigton hospital is concerned, the group has come up with an alternative plan which shows how they could keep the beds and expand the services - and she hopes it will be properly considered.

She added that the building is not in the poor condition that is being made out. "It has had quite a bit of money spent on it," she added.

Bill Barnes, leader of Maryport hospital's Save Our Beds campaign, is also refusing to give up. "They have got it all wrong. It's clear that whoever came up with this plan hasn't appreciated what community hospitals are all about. Maryport has about 500 patients a year. That's about 10 a week, and it has the town's only doctor's surgery just a few steps away."

He added that the Ewanrigg area, where the hospital is located, is one of the most deprived areas of the UK.

Workington MP Sue Hayman has arranged for Sir Neil McKay, who heads the Success Regime, to visit the hospital next Tuesday morning, and he is appealing on the community to turn out in force at 9am to demonstrate how much it means to the town and its people.

He said it's "ridiculous" that the Regime has come up with these plans without even visiting the hospitals first.

The Success Regime's formal consultation was put back until the end of the summer following criticism that there had not been enough public involvement in drawing up the plans.

As a result three new stakeholder engagement events have been planned, the first of which took place in Workington this morning.

The others are in Penrith next week and Carlisle the week after.

Community hospital campaigners plan to attend all of the events, and continue to stress the need for beds in all of the towns.