PATIENTS and staff loyal to a doctor who has been sacked in a row over out-of-hours care are organising a mourning march.

Dressed in black, the protestors will march through the streets with a coffin to mark the loss of GP Barney Williams.

They say they will be mourning the loss of patient choice, two doctors and a nurse, mobile telephone access to a doctor and the surgery's support team.

They also will be mourning the loss of events such as diabetic days and a toddler group held at the surgery in Marshfield Road, Chippenham.

The march is being organised by the Friends of Marshfield Road Surgery who are inviting patients and members of the public to join the march on July 10 at 11am.

The mourners will meet at the War Memorial in the Market Place, Chippenham, and the procession will wend its way down the High Street, across the town to Marshfield Road.

Marchers will proceed to the site of the proposed new Hathaway Surgery, a state of the art facility capable of serving 10,000 patients, on the site of the former school at Allington.

"We've had an offer of a bagpipe player, to play a lament to accompany the march," said Dr Williams.

Dr Williams failed to have his NHS contract renewed after a dispute over his failure to provide out of hours care with the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust.

Subsequently his 3,000-strong patient list was transferred from Marshfield Road Surgery to the current Hathaway Surgery in New Road.

Dr Williams owns the Marshfield Road Surgery and continues to provide a private service for patients who wish to pay while he awaits the outcome of an appeal against the loss of his contract.

He said the private practice was still doing well, with five people booked in for appointments on Monday this week, with others likely to call in as the day went on.

Dr Williams charges £15 for a consultation but retains the right to charge less if he feels the patient's circumstances merit a discount.

He is planning a special offer week when free consultations will be available and has a special rate of £65 for medicals for HGV licence applications. The normal rate is £75.

Dr Williams can no longer make out NHS prescriptions as a private practitioner but he said patients can buy many medicines, such as antibiotics, cheaper privately than they can through the NHS.

The Friends have continued to lobby for the reinstatement of Dr Williams with a series of public meetings and a petition to the House of Commons.

"We hope to get a coffin for the march and want everyone to wear black," said Avril Williams, practice manager and wife of Dr Williams.

Mrs Williams said the march would illustrate just how far it was from the town centre to the site of the new Hathaway Surgery.

"We want to highlight the situation and bring it to people's attention. We are not getting our questions answered. The PCT is not paying any attention," she said.

Meanwhile Dr Williams has said he is interested in applying for a job as chief executive to the PCT after the resignation of its head, Barbara Smith last October.

Acting chief executive Stephen Golledge has withdrawn his own application for the post. The trust said it has another candidate to interview.

The Friends are holding a meeting for patients at 7.30pm on Wednesday at Sheldon School, Hardenhuish Lane, Chippenham.