The Save the DGH group is staging the event on November 17 and has revealed more details.

Protesters and those wanting to take part will meet at Eastbourne pier at 10.30am with the march due to start at 11am.

The route has yet to be confirmed but campaigners will arrive at the Town Hall in Grove Road at 12 noon for a rally.

Possible panel members include Dr Vincent Argent, retired obstetrician, Eastbourne GP Dr John Clarke, Dr Hugh Nicholson, Hastings GP, Liz Walke, chairman of Save the DGH, and Margaret Williams, her Hastings counterpart from Hands off the Conquest.

Mrs Walke said, "Closing or downgrading our maternity unit here in Eastbourne or the unit in Hastings would not only be very unsatisfactory but also dangerous.

"We are very grateful to all our GPs who have taken the highly unusual step to stand up publicly against the proposals which will lead to either Hastings or Eastbourne maternity unit being closed.

"More than 80,000 people have protested against the Primary Care Trust's (PCT's) proposals by signing a petition, more than 12,000 people have taken to the streets and now, with the GPs supporting our stance so publicly, the local health providers will have to listen.

"We would urge all those decision-makers, rather than being hell-bent on closing one local maternity unit, to work on keeping Eastbourne and Hastings units open and give the resources, in particular more midwives and consultants, needed to fulfil their essential service to us.

"We want to have a march and public meeting in November just before the expected announcement to let our supporters know the current situation, and to remind the PCT and the hospital trust that we have not given up and we will continue to fight against any reconfiguration of our local health service which jeopardises people's lives."

Around 5,000 people marched through Eastbourne in September last year protesting against the threat to services at the DGH.