MALMESBURY Maternity Unit is cheaper to run per birth than Chippenham, it has been revealed.

Campaigners fighting to save the award-winning unit this week produced the figures, just weeks before health chiefs decide its future.

The Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust has threatened both the Malmesbury and Devizes maternity units with closure saying they cost too much to run compared with its other units in Chippenham and Trowbridge.

The cash-strapped trust said it could save up to £318,000 if it closed Malmesbury and transferred services to Chippenham, leaving just home visiting midwives.

But campaigners say a rise in birth rates of more than 50 per cent on this time last year means the unit is now more than £100 cheaper per birth than Chippenham.

Campaigner Sarah Newman said there had been 63 births by the end of May at the unit which, if the trend continues, will average out at 151 births for the year.

The PCT said the cost to run the unit per year was £583,646 which when divided by the 151 births forecast this year gives a cost of £3,865, less than the £3,969 per birth it costs at Chippenham.

Mrs Newman said the figures send a strong message to the PCT, which will make its final decision on June 22.

She said: "We are very pleased. It is a tribute to how hard the staff are working." Mrs Newman said the extra publicity generated by the Gazette's 18-month long campaign to save the unit had made more mums-to-be aware that the unit existed.

"The number of births is going up, which is very encouraging," she said.

The Save Malmesbury Maternity Unit group says the figures lend weight to its appeals to the PCT to at least delay the closure of the unit for two years. In that time campaigners hope they will be able to prove the unit is viable by increasing the birth numbers.

She said: "To us that would suggest there is a strong case for the PCT to give the unit a two-year trial.

"We in the action group would be very keen to help publicise it and to get involved.

"I think more could be done to publicise the unit in places like Wootton Bassett, Cricklade and Purton.

"I have just spoken to women there about this and most are not told or discouraged to go to Malmesbury."

District councillor Ian Henderson agreed the figures added weight to the campaign to keep the unit open.

He said: "The recent figures justify the PCT in ensuring it retains the unit at Malmesbury and enhances it."

County councillor John Thomson was also delighted. He said: "I think this is fantastic news. Well done to everybody who worked really hard to get the story out about Malmesbury.

"This is definitely going to make it more difficult for the PCT to close our maternity services."

The consultation period for the unit ended on Monday. It had been extended because of a delay by the PCT in releasing of the units' costing.

Last week the PCT said it had not made a decision about the future of the unit, despite placing a national advert for midwives, but only to work at Chippenham and Trowbridge. The PCT was unavailable for comment yesterday.