A PHARMACIST who has spent almost two decades building-up a business today told how news that a nearby surgery was moving will destroy his life.

David Preston, of Stacksteads Pharmacy, Burnley Road, said he has spent 16 years working 60 hours a week to fund the business.

Mr Preston, who bought the pharmacy six years ago, said he was now facing bankruptcy because of plans to the relocate the surgery in Farholme Lane.

He said: "I invested £110,000 into this businesses six years ago and now it's all going to go down the drain.

"What makes it worse is knowing that it's going to happen and that you can't do anything about it.

"I wanted to send my son to university and now I am not going to be able to do that because councillors made a decision by not allowing the surgery to move to the ambulance station. This decision has ruined mine and my family's life."

But despite the plans to move the surgery to the new Health Centre in Rochdale Road, Bacup, by 2005, local councillors Dale Connearn and Michael McShea have joined forces to fight to keep health provision in Stacksteads.

They are urging the agencies involved to look at the Acre Mill site in Stacksteads which they feel is viable for a new health surgery.

Coun McShea said: "If we do not keep the facility in Stacksteads then it will be the death of the village.

"There are other sites which are worth considering, it's just a case of getting the people involved to look at other sites which are available. Acre Mill is perfect but it keeps being dismissed.

"Stacksteads already has a high rate of deprivation which we feel will be made worse if the surgery moves to Bacup. Elderly people and people without transport may sacrifice visiting the doctor because it's too far away.

"This has already happened in Edenfield and we will do our best to prevent it from happening here."

Coun McShea and Coun Connearn have arranged a meeting with the North West Development Agency to discuss the future of the surgery.

A spokesman for the doctors' surgery said: "The surgery will be moving to Bacup in 2005. The present premises are inadequate. By next year they will not meet the requirements of the Disability Legislation.

"Fortunately we have been offered a LIFT scheme, which will support this transition. LIFT is a public/private partnership that will build new premises, which we will then lease.

"We have no other sufficient source of funding. However the nature of this deal is that the deadlines are set nationally and are tight and non-negotiable.

"We are fortunate to have this offer, it was felt that the needs of Bacup and Stacksteads are greater than those of other areas."