A PETITION with more than 24,000 signatures has been handed to the Department of Health by campaigners.

Members of Save the DGH were joined by Eastbourne MP Stephen Lloyd for the presentation in London this week.

The group is calling on Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to hold an independent inquiry into the decision to downgrade the maternity unit at Eastbourne District General Hospital from consultant-led to midwife-led.

It means women with at risk pregnancies or who develop complications have to travel up to 20 miles to the Conquest Hospital in St Leonards instead.

The group says the change is putting lives at risk and wants full consultant services at both hospitals.

Health bosses say the move was necessary for safety reasons because of problems with recruiting enough staff and will also protect the long term future of both units.