Campaigners occupying Ealing Hospital in a bid to save the maternity unit from closure remain on site and are more determined than ever.

West London Council of Action members entered the hospital last Wednesday (June 24) following a march, and have been on a 24/7 'sit-in' rota since.

The protesters will march through Ealing's streets on Wednesday (July 1) on the planned day of closure of the maternity unit, joined by workers from local shops who are closing their businesses from between midday and 2pm to support the cause.

March against closure of maternity department at Ealing Hospital.

Secretary of the West London Council of Action (a branch of the Workers Revolutionary Party), Tony McEvoy, insisted the occupation is going to continue after tomorrow because "most people want to keep the unit open".

He said: "The police have come in most days and asked how things are going, they have not tried to do anything. They are watching what’s happening.

"Patients and staff are very welcoming. They are also concerned for the hospital.

"They call it Shaping a Healthier Future but it’s quite the opposite.

"Pregnant women are being sent to six alternative hospitals but none of these have a direct bus route.

"A father came in two days ago and said he had delivered his wife’s baby at home because they could not make it to Northwick."

He went on: "For the past week they have stopped planned deliveries at the hospital. The occupation is continuing."

A spokeswoman for Shaping a Healthier Future - the organisation behind the changes to health services in west London, including the maternity unit closure - previously said: “Campaigners absolutely have the right to protest peacefully as they have done before but any occupation of Ealing Hospital would be both dangerous and unfair for patients and staff.

“Antenatal and postnatal care will still be provided in the borough of Ealing with many women now able to receive that care even closer to home.

“By consolidating maternity care across six hospitals in north-west London, there will be more senior consultant cover in the maternity units, more midwives able to give 1 to 1 care for women, a move towards 24/7 consultant cover on the labour wards, and greater investment in home birth teams.”