NEW parents Dawn and Shaun Gould are to make an official complaint to Salisbury District Hospital after they claim the hospital refused to take Mrs Gould during her labour.

Mrs Gould, of Marston, had Salisbury Hospital as her back- up hospital if problems arose during her pregnancy.

After her waters broke on Wednesday she visited Salisbury and was given antibiotics and booked in for an induction on Saturday, but after going to Devizes Maternity Unit on Friday she decided she would like to give birth there.

Mrs Gould, 38, said the midwives at Devizes kept maternity staff at Salisbury informed throughout her labour.

But on Friday evening when the labour was not progressing, a midwife at Devizes phoned Salisbury to transfer Mrs Gould.

Mrs Gould said: "Salisbury asked her to wait for a few hours but the midwife said she wanted to send me straight away. She was told they were very busy in Salisbury and not keen to accept me.

"It astonished us. The midwife then rang the Royal United Hospital in Bath and was told they were busy but would accept me."

Mrs Gould was taken to Bath and gave birth to son, Max, in the early hours of Saturday.

Mr Gould, 36, said: "I am furious about it and am going to make an official complaint. Dawn was going through a tough time during the labour and this just added to the emotional stress."

A spokesman for Salisbury District Hospital said: "The option was there for Mrs Gould to transfer. We don't refuse patients."