MUMS in Swindon and Wootton Bassett told health bosses that they had not been informed they could use Malmesbury's midwife-led maternity unit.

Ten mothers, the majority from Swindon and Wootton Bassett and a couple from Malmesbury, voiced their support for the campaign to save the maternity unit at a public meeting organised by the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust and held in Wootton Bassett on Monday.

The trust is proposing to close Malmesbury and Devizes maternity units. Women would have to go to Chippenham and Trowbridge maternity units to give birth and for post natal stays.

Corina O'Keefe, of Old Town, Swindon, said: "I had my first two children at the Princess Margaret Hospital, Swindon, and it wasn't until I was pregnant with my third child that I heard about Malmesbury Maternity Unit from a friend who had been there.

"I gave birth to my daughter at Malmesbury and I had the most fantastic experience there."

Helen Holmes, of Ash Brake, Swindon, who had ante natal and post natal care at Malmesbury, said: "I do not know any women in Swindon who have been told about Malmesbury during their ante natal care. A consultant told me it was more dangerous to go to Malmesbury."

Lydia Thomas, of Wootton Bassett, said: "There is a lack of information about choices for women. You could dramatically increase the births at Malmesbury with women from our area using it."

Last year the number of births at Malmesbury was 110, up on the previous year and so far this year there have been 30 births and 18 are due this month.

Malmesbury midwife Kathy Silvanus told the meeting: "One day recently we had four deliveries in 24 hours. We had no rooms left. If Malmesbury closes that is how we would be working in Chippenham.

"Women who have normal deliveries would be taking up the beds and there would be no room for women who want to come back after giving birth at Bath and Swindon for help with breast feeding. How is that going to help breast feeding in the future?"

Corinna Mazzotta, of Ramleaze, Swindon, gave birth to her first child at Malmesbury and is expecting her second child in August.

She said: "The number of births at Malmesbury is increasing because more women know about it as we have been campaigning to keep it open and there have been articles in the press."

Liz Austin, chairwoman of the Swindon branch of the National Childbirth Trust, called on the trust to give the Malmesbury unit a two year trial period with a target number of births to establish whether the unit was viable.

Mrs Austin, who had post natal care at Malmesbury after the birth of her son, said she was concerned about the midwife staffing situation following the resignation of four midwives from Chippenham Maternity Unit.

She said: "Midwives are already stretched and are working extra shifts to cover staff shortages."

Phil Day, director of community services at the trust, said West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust, which employs the midwives, was taking on bank midwives to fill gaps but keeping vacancies open until the outcome of the consultation.