Oswestry mothers have been told to use their midwife-led unit or face the risk of losing it.

Cllr Vince Hunt, the town’s mayor, made the call after the Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) confirmed a consultation into the future of births at the town’s unit - plus those in Ludlow and Bridgnorth - will go ahead.

A date for deliberation is yet to be set.

Town councillors also discussed the reopening of the MLU following its six-month closure last year.

Cllr Hunt said: “I’m am pleased it has reopened.

“All my children were born within an hour so hardly enough time to get to Shrewsbury.

“But expectant mothers need to use it or risk losing it. There needs to be more than one child born there a week.”

Cllr Paul Milner, who has worked closely with the Save Oswestry Maternity Unit campaign, praised Liz Grayston who launched it in December 2016.

He continued: “I am glad that it has reopened and a huge credit goes to Liz Grayston and local people for fighting for something we need to keep and believe in.

“I hope we can secure it’s future for the long-term.”

Cllr Claire Aspinall said it is also important to have a consultant-led unit close to MLUs after her son needed emergency treatment after he was born.

Currently the CLU is at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.

Concerns were also raised over why the Oswestry MLU was closed for a night less than a week after it reopened because of staff illness.

Members agreed to write to Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group, which voted in favour of removing births from Oswestry, and ask representatives to attend a future meeting to discuss maternity plans, as well as the urgent care centre plans as part of Future Fit.

Dr Jessica Sokolov, Shropshire CCG’s Clinical Lead for the midwife led services review speaking on behalf of both Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin CCGs, commented: “We are now preparing for the consultation and no date has yet been set.”