A campaign to save the former Grantham Cottage Hospital is stepping, with the support of hundreds.

Grantham resident Daniel Beck launched a campaign to save the empty building on Manthorpe Road in November.

It has stood empty for some years and its owners, United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust, is considering demolishing the building, believing it may be dangerous.

Dan, who was born at the nearby Grantham Hospital and says his ancestors moved from Denton to Grantham in 1502, wants to renovate the building using public funding and community grants.

He said on Facebook: "I have many family ties to Grantham presently and historically so I feel very strongly about the preservation of my towns history."

The aim is to establish a community based venue entailing a Grantham archive, community rooms for the use of local groups ,study room for local schools and small cafe for visitors.

Since launching the campaign in November, he created a new Facebook Page last month, and begun contacting United Lincolnshire Hospital's Trust, South Kesteven District Council, Grantham MP Gareth Davies and many others.

A related petition is now close to its 1500 target.

Dan has also written a business plan, funding statement, mission statement and started to draft a proposal for a community-run committee.

This week, he also appealed for residents to work together on ideas on how to save the building and come up with ideas for its future use.

This week, he also said he has spoken to the planning department of South Kesteven District Council about the campaign's intention to use the "Localism Act 2012" to award the building Asset of Community Value status.

Daniel explained: "This means it would be protected by the Act and the campaign would have the the right to bid for the sale of the building."

He continued: "This is the time all campaigns past and present need to unite as one large group representing Grantham as a whole.

"We are asking for 21 people to step forward as a nominee as this is the required legal number, obviously the more the better ,this needs to be a sample representation from all the electoral wards of Grantham and surrounding villages."

Calling for supporters, he added: "This is an opportunity now to work together to save "the Grantham cottage hospital" from becoming yet another "well we tried !" conversation.

"LETS GET THIS DONE PEOPLE ! YOUR SUPPORT HAS BEEN AMAZING THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE CAMPAIGNS PAST AND PRESENT NOW WE HAVE A WINDOW OF OPPERTUNITY LETS NOT WASTE IT."

The Facebook page of the campaign can be found here.