PREGNANT Emma Preston was never told that she could give birth at Devizes Maternity Unit despite living in the local area.

Mother-of-four Mrs Preston, of Enford, near Pewsey, wants women from across the area to book in at Devizes Maternity Unit to save it from closure.

Both Devizes and Malmesbury maternity units are under the threat of closure by the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust.

Before the latest threat to the midwife-led units surfaced in January 2003 campaigners argued that health bosses did not promote each unit.

Following a Gazette campaign to save both units more women have used them but there are still people who are not aware of them.

Mrs Preston, 27, gave birth to her youngest child, two-year-old Maisy at the Devizes unit, but she only found out about its existence by chance. She had previously given birth at Salisbury District Hospital, when she lived in Tidworth, and in Dorchester.

Mrs Preston, who is four months pregnant, said: "At the time I was expecting Maisy I was living in Devizes and Salisbury was the only hospital mentioned to me. But because of my previous birth experiences at Salisbury I wanted a home birth.

"I found out about Devizes Maternity Unit from a friend who had given birth there. I couldn't believe that Devizes had its own maternity unit. I went to have a look around it and thought it was absolutely fantastic.

"The staff were so friendly and it had a relaxed atmosphere. I knew straight away I wanted to give birth there."

Mrs Preston's birth was straight forward and she spent three days post natally in the unit. She said: "Giving birth at a big hospital is like being on a conveyor belt. You give birth and that's it. Everything is so strict.

"At Devizes I can phone up the unit 24 hours a day and speak to a midwife if I have a problem. They knew who I am whereas if I rang Salisbury the midwife doesn't know me and would have to find my notes which takes a lot of time and is a hassle."

During her current pregnancy Mrs Preston said she was again not told that she could give birth at Devizes.

"I was told that I would be booked in at Salisbury," she said.

But after suffering from sickness during her pregnancy Mrs Preston phoned the Devizes unit for advice and was told that she could give birth there.

She said: "There must be other women in the same situation as me who are not aware that Devizes has a maternity unit that they could use and that you don't need to live in Devizes to use it."

Wootton Bassett mum-of-five Janet Georgiou only found out that there was a maternity unit in Malmesbury after hearing about the campaign to save both units.

Mrs Georgiou, 48, has lived in north Wiltshire for 20 years and gave birth to three children at the former Princess Margaret Hospital in Swindon.

She said: "I only head about Malmesbury when it was threatened with closure and I wonder how many other women knew about it before the campaign started.

"I only live a few miles away from Malmesbury and I wished I had known that it was available as a choice to give birth as my children could have been born there."

l To find out more about both maternity units call Devizes on (01380) 720303 and Malmesbury on (01666) 822657.