MOTHERS whose children were saved by a hospital's under-threat intensive care unit say babies could die if the closure goes ahead.

NHS England is consulting on plans to end life-saving intensive care for babies at the University Hospital of North Tees in Stockton, but the hospital will still provide special care for babies at 30 weeks' gestation and over.

Instead mothers in labour under 30 weeks would be taken straight to the remaining neonatal intensive care unit at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough

But Kirsty Lowther, of Trimdon, County Durham, who is spearheading a campaign to save the Stockton unit, said her baby Ava, one of twins born at 26 weeks' gestation, could have died if she had to go to Middlesbrough.

She said: "I was at home one hour before I had the twins and didn't realise I was in labour. I had to be rushed in to North Tees where I had the twins.

"They only had time to give them one steroid injection instead of two, to build up their lungs, and Ava had to be resuscitated as soon as she was born. I dread to think what would have happened if I'd had to go further, to Middlesbrough."

Carrie Rennie's baby Albie was born at 26 weeks at North Tees in a quick labour. Her waters had broken at 17 weeks and Albie was seriously ill. He was in intensive care for 136 days before his lungs started to fail and he died earlier this year.

Ms Rennie, from Hartlepool, said: "I am devastated they are thinking about stopping the intensive care. When you are in there that long the nurses and doctors become like family to you. They were absolutely wonderful.

"I treasured that time I had with Albie and if the intensive care unit hadn't been there I would have just had five minutes with my baby, not 136 days.

"If I had to go and visit him in Middlesbrough it would have been so difficult because I have another son, Oliver, and I don't drive. It was hard enough getting to Stockton to see Albie - I relied a lot on people taking me there but it is even further to Middlesbrough."

Ms Lowther added: "It's the worst thing that can happen to you, it's unimaginable, and to add to parents' stress by making them travel further is inhumane. It is putting economics over babies' lives."

An NHS England spokeswoman said a review into neonatal intensive care found that the small size of intensive care units in North-East hospitals was not the most effective or efficient way to treat babies.

It concluded that Newcastle's RVI and James Cook in Middlesbrough would provide the highest levels of intensive care, while Sunderland hospital would look after babies over 26 weeks and North Tees - the smallest such unit in England -would look after babies over 30 weeks.

She said between 60 and 70 families each year would transfer to Middlesbrough for specialist care, usually while the mother was in labour. Once babies were well enough they would be transferred to their nearest suitable hospital.

“At this stage these are proposals – no decisions have been made," she said.

To sign the petition against the changes, visit www.change.org/p/alexander-cunningham-james-wharton-mp-stop-closure-of-intensive-care-on-neonatal-unit-at-north-tees-hospital