SHOCK and disbelief greeted the announcement by Salisbury MP Robert Key on Saturday that mental health services in south Wiltshire are to be cut even more drastically than first thought.

Mr Key was in the Guildhall Square to receive a petition from Adrian Sutcliffe, who has suffered from mental health problems and has collected dozens of signatures from people protesting at cuts in services.

As he collected more signatures, Mr Sutcliffe was not prepared for the bombshell Mr Key had for him.

The Journal reported last week that there would be dramatic cuts in the Wiltshire NHS mental health budget, due to a £14m debt in Bristol, with which Wiltshire is now aligned.

Mr Key warned the mental health trust might have to sell its offices in Century House, Endless Street, just to pay wages for the next 18 months.

Speaking on Saturday, he said: "I have now had answers to parliamentary questions and our worst fears will come to pass: Century House will be closed next year and the money saved - nearly £1m, will go back into the NHS pot, but will be set against next year's deficit.

"This means there will have to be cuts to the south Wiltshire mental health service next year of £m.

"The crisis teams we were promised will be far too small to cope and so will the assertive outreach programme.

"The home treatment service may survive, but the government promised early intervention in psychosis, especially for young people, and this will definitely not happen.

"There will be no primary care mental health teams, so all the pressure will go straight back to GPs.

"This is completely unacceptable and I will be seeking an urgent meeting with the minister, Jacqui Smith, at which I will present the petition and demand to know why the government is telling us it is spending billions more on the NHS, when in Salisbury it is cutting the money available.

"Above all, we need to know what is going to happen to the patients.

"Only five per cent of mental health services in Salisbury are ward-based - 95 per cent are in the community and that's where the cuts will be greatest.

"And I feel really sorry for the staff - they are wonderful people."

Trish Carrington, a member of staff at the Greencroft Centre, said patients would "end up back in hospital if they do not have the support".