Campaigners opposed to the downgrading of Maidstone’s maternity service will hand in their petitions to Downing Street later this month.

Health campaigner Peter Caroll will hand over his petition on Monday, January 18, at the door of Number 10.

More than 20,000 people have signed petitions on the issue set up by Mr Carroll, the Lib Dem prospective parliamentary candidate for Maidstone and the Weald and his Conservative counterpart, Helen Grant, both pictured here with Maidstone mums and babies.

Mrs Grant is also a member of health campaign group MASH (Maidstone Action for Services in Hospital) which has also campaigned against the move for more than a year.

Around the end of next year, when parts of the new Pembury Hospital are open to the public, a full maternity service with access to consultants and emergency treatments will be concentrated there.

A birthing unit, staffed by midwives and able to handle labours where no complications occur will remain in Maidstone, but not at the Maidstone Hospital site.

Mr Carroll also hopes to arrange a meeting with health secretary Andy Burnham on the issue.