Protesters slept on benches at Ealing Hospital on Wednesday night (June 24) to prepare for the second day of occupation in the fight to save the maternity unit.

Members of the West London Council of Action marched through the borough to the hospital on Wednesday, where they stayed, and say they will remain until the decision to close the maternity unit is reversed.

Secretary of the West London Council of Action, Tony McEvoy, confirmed campaigners are still occupying the hospital on Thursday (June 25) and said it is going to continue that way.

Mr McEvoy said: "Three of us stayed overnight. There are five of us here now and with more coming we should be at 15 soon.

"We have had loads of support from staff this morning and are being inundated with food from local gurdwaras.

"Midwives are here for one more week to deal with emergencies and then it's closure next Wednesday (July 1).

"One of the receptionists said often heavily pregnant women come in clutching the walls ready for delivery. She does not know what she will do, she will have to send them to A&E. Normally midwives would come in with wheelchairs."

He said a midwife had spoken to him and was going downstairs to cry again.

The West London Council of Action have organised another march next Wednesday (July 1) and are calling on all local workers to shut their businesses and join from midday-2pm.

Mr McEvoy said: "We want a mass demonstration to make the fight a success. We are fighting to win."

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."

The assembly point for next week's march will be Beresford Road, off Southall Broadway, at 11am, for a midday start. They will march along Uxbridge Road and on to Ealing Hospital.