MPS in Kirklees have launched a petition to stop Huddersfield maternity services being transferred to Halifax.

Wakefield MP Mary Creagh and Colne Valley MP Kali Mountford launched the petition at two separate events on Saturday.

It calls for Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust to scrap plans which would see only a midwife-led unit left at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

Mums-to-be needing consultant care - such as epidurals or Caesareans - would be transferred to Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax.

Mary Creagh, whose constituency covers Kirkburton and Denby Dale, was collecting signatures around Skelmanthorpe.

She was accompanied by Denby Dale Parish Council member Graham Turner.

She said: "People have actually been looking for us so they can sign the petition.

"It has been a very positive response."

Kali Mountford launched the petition at a coffee morning for local residents at Crosland Moor ICT Centre, on Park Road.

Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman has also put his name to the petition.

Kali Mountford said she felt there should be a midwife-led unit at the Acre Mills site opposite HRI - but in addition to a full range of maternity services at the hospital.

She said: "A midwife-led unit is good because it lowers the number of Caesareans and epidurals and other such interventions. It offers a more natural birth.

"However, if anything goes wrong during delivery we want the clinical support to be close by on the hospital site."

Although the petition is focusing on maternity services, other services are also set to move to Halifax.

These include planned surgery - including some breast cancer treatments - gynaecological services and children's services.

Both MPs said that maternity services had been singled out because of their wide-ranging impact.

Ms Mountford said: "There's hardly a single family in Huddersfield that won't be affected.

"For some specialist care, it makes sense for it to move to a specialist unit because fewer patients are affected.

"But it doesn't make sense to move a service that affects nearly everyone further away."

As well as collecting signatures on the petition in Crosland Moor, Ms Mountford was in Huddersfield town centre on Saturday canvassing support.

She said people had been very supportive: "I've hardly had anyone come up to me who didn't want to sign the petition."

All three Labour MPs are sending postcards to households in their constituencies about the proposed changes.

These postcards can be sent back to the health trust free of charge, so that people can register their objections to the changes during the consultation period.

This is due to end on January 16.

Petitions are also available to sign in the hairdresser's, nail bar, butcher's shop and newsagents in Skelmanthorpe.