"IT would be an absolute tragedy if we lost Malton Maternity Unit."

Claire Walker gave birth to her second child, Charlotte, on January 13, and feels strongly that other mums in Ryedale should have the same excellent experience she had.

But, if NHS proposals get the go ahead, Charlotte could be one of the last babies to be born in Malton Hospital - a prospect the Gazette & Herald has been fighting strongly against.

Under plans put forward by Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Health Care Trust, all deliveries at the community hospital would cease. Mothers would give birth at home or travel to York or Scarborough hospitals.

A public consultation period is underway and health bosses have already received a 2,000-strong petition from the Gazette & Herald as part of its Birth Right campaign.

Claire, 36, is a perfect example of a woman for whom Malton Maternity Unit was the best option.

Living in Great Barugh, she felt that a six-mile drive to Malton was preferable to the 30-mile hike to York District Hospital.

"It would have been panicked and uncomfortable driving through to York because I was having quite strong contractions when we set off, and it would have been very stressful for my husband driving me there and wondering if I was going to give birth in the car, " she said.

"The other thing I was worried about, with it being January, was snow. Driving through to York in thick snow, even in an ambulance, in the middle of the night could have been a bit scary."

Three-and-a-half years ago, Claire gave birth to her son, Thomas, at York District Hospital because a minor complication with the pregnancy meant that a birth at Malton's lowrisk unit was unavailable to her.

Now, with experience of both centres, she says there is no comparison.

"You get 100 per cent care at Malton and there is always a midwife with you. It felt very, very comfortable and relaxed, which made the birth a lot easier, " she said.

"They even brought us cups of tea and toast - you never got any of that in York. It was just so free and easy and relaxed, it made the birth a lovely experience."

She added: "At Malton my husband was involved, they kept talking to him, which was something we just didn't get in York.

"The other thing is that if you have all your ante-natal care at Malton and then go to York to give birth, then you don't know any of the midwives. It's very impersonal, just like a production line.

"When I had Thomas, there was a midwife who kept leaving me to go and check on another mum next door, and I was strapped to a bed with a monitor on, whereas in Malton I could walk around and feel comfortable."

After giving birth to Thomas, Claire went back to stay in Malton Hospital for a few nights, something no longer on offer to new mums in Ryedale.

"It was lovely, they gave me 100 per cent and it was fantastic.

"With it being my first baby, it was great to be able to spend time to learn how to breast feed, and go through things like bathing the baby correctly.

"The care was absolutely brilliant and my husband could come a visit easily. After that, I really wanted to have Charlotte in Malton. Both my husband and I thought if we could we wanted to."

Claire said she would not want a home birth, and that Malton Hospital provided the perfect low-risk alternative. "It felt like a home-from-home and to me it was the next best thing to a home birth, " she said. "I just felt that they have got more facilities there and if something did go wrong they can quickly get you to Scarborough or York."

However, even though Claire was very determined she wanted to give birth at Malton, under current rules there were no guarantees she would be able to.

"I knew that if there was a mum in there already then I couldn't go in, because they only take one at a time now, " she said.

"And I was really concerned in the run up to the birth that I wouldn't be able to have her there."

And, when she did go in, she had to arrange to meet the midwife there as it is no-longer permanently staffed.

"I went into labour at 3.30am and I had to ring Scarborough, and someone there rang a midwife at home and she had to ring me and ask how advanced the labour was and then get up and meet us at the hospital, so we couldn't just drive there, " she said.

"But it was still the best birth I could have wished for, and it would be an absolute tragedy if it were to close and all the people living around and about had to drive to York or Scarborough from now on."

The consultation period into changes in maternity services will continue until Friday, March 18, after which trust bosses will announce any changes.