Health board chiefs will be on hand to answer questions about a proposed closure of a Barry Hospital ward at a public meeting later this month.

More than 12,000 people have signed a petition against the proposed closure of the Sam Davies rehabilitation ward which is mainly used by older patients.

Representatives from Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, which runs the hospital, will answer questions from people concerned about the ward's closure at a meeting in Barry's Civic Offices in Holton Road.

The summit, organised by health watchdog South Glamorgan Community Health Council (CHC), will take place on Wednesday, October 30, from 7pm to 8.30pm.

The health board is holding an "engagement process" with the public on the plans until November 1.

Stephen Allen, chief officer of the CHC, said: "We have been working with the Cardiff & Vale University Health Board to secure a date and ensure this is well publicised, whilst we recognise this is very close to the end of the engagement process, we are sure there will be sufficient time for people to respond if they wish to".

"No final decisions regarding proposed changes to NHS services in Barry can be made until the health board has received the CHC's feedback."

The Sam Davies Ward has 23 beds and its rehabilitation services include helping patients who have had strokes and respite care for dementia patients.

Campaigners have said the ward is a vital service and have expressed concerns that if it closed people from the Vale would have to travel further to access care.

But the health board says it wants to provide the services offered in the Sam Davies ward in people's homes as longer hospital stays can lead to a deterioration of their health.

The CHC's executive committee will meet in public on December 10 at the Civic Offices at 10am to consider the outcome of the engagement process.