The battle to save Southend’s cancer unit from closure was taken to Downing Street in March, 1987.

Among the campaigners pictured are, on the left, MPs Sir Teddy Taylor and Sir Bernard Braine and, on the right, Sir David Amess.

The Echo is currently running a campaign to save Southend's specialist urology cancer service. 

NHS England wants to close one of the specialist urology cancer services, either at Southend or Colchester, because they treat too few people.

Treatment will be given at just one site which the Department of Health says should serve one million people.

More than 2,300 people signed an Echo petition to keep the centre, which treats people who have cancer of the kidneys, bladder, prostate and testicles, in Southend.