TOWN councillors have come out in support of midwives by backing a fourth option for Kendal's Helme Chase maternity unit.

They want it to become a midwife-led unit with planned Caesarean births continuing at Kendal - which is the way ahead favoured by midwives.

Kendal Town Council was responding to the consultation document on the future of Helme Chase, launched by Morecambe Bay Health Authority.

Councillors expressed strong support for Helme Chase and its midwives, and voiced their fears about the "erosion of services" at Westmorland General Hospital.

Coun Avril Dobson said she feared the hospital's gynaecological ward would close if planned Caesareans no longer took place at Kendal.

"It isn't so much the threat of the loss of Helme Chase," said Coun Paul Braithwaite, "it's what goes after that.

It's the thin end of a very large wedge.

"Today Helme Chase, tomorrow the gynaeocology ward, the day after elective surgery.

"Let's stop the erosion.

If it carries on there won't be a hospital - it will just be an office block."

Coun Chris Mayho said patients were being "parcelled off" to Barrow and Lancaster "for any minor operation" because specialists were not being based at Kendal.

"This may be our last chance to stop this erosion and to ensure we don't have to travel to Lancaster or further afield to get some basic help," he said.

Deputy mayor Coun Dave Birkett feared the status of Westmorland General Hospital was being eroded, and urged: "We've got to somehow try to stem the haemorrhage."

Staff at Helme Chase had managed to preserve a "cottage hospital atmosphere" despite the unit's move into Westmorland General Hospital, said Coun Tony Rothwell.

Lancaster and Barrow's maternity units had "hospital environments" which expectant mothers did not like, he added.

l Windermere Parish Council could not agree on a joint response to the consultation.

Councillors are to express individual views to the health authority.