An eight-year-old girl who almost died at birth has written to the Queen in an effort to save west Cumbria's maternity services.

Kaitlin Cunningham-Gearing, from Whitehaven, has also penned letters to Prime Minister Theresa May and hospital boss Stephen Eames.

The youngster, whose mum Siobhan founded the We Need West Cumberland Hospital, is worried about plans to remove consultant-led maternity services, saying: "I am scared that people will die".

She has a personal reason to get involved as, due to complications at birth, both she and her mum could have died if it were not for quick-thinking staff at Whitehaven's West Cumberland Hospital.

Now women in the area who encounter complications during labour face travelling 40 miles to give birth in Carlisle.

The Government-appointed Success Regime, which is reviewing health services across north and west Cumbria, has yet to publish firm plans but has admitted it is considering removing consultants from Whitehaven either full or part time due to staffing issues.

This has prompted a backlash from the local community, who fear it will result in the deaths of mums and babies.

The We Need West Cumberland Hospital group has launched a campaign, hanging dummies across the area to raise awareness of the distances involved and what is at stake if it goes wrong.

After watching her mum battling to save services, Kaitlin decided to get involved - declaring that she was writing to the Queen.

Her letter states: "To Her Majesty The Queen My name is Kaitlin and I am 8 years old and I live in Whitehaven.

"My mam and her friends are trying to save our Hospital. The men and women are trying to send pregnant women 40 miles away to have their babies and I am scared that people will die. Please help us to stop them. Please can you visit. From Kaitlin."

Not stopping there she also wrote to Prime Minister Theresa May, calling on her to visit west Cumbria, and to Mr Eames, chief executive of North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust.

She said: "When I was born there was some things that went wrong and me and my mam nearly died . I have heard that you still want to make pregnant women go to Carlisle in an emergency, but why?

"I am very scared. If my mam had been sent to Carlisle then me and her would be dead now. Please don't let babies die."

Siobhan said Kaitlin likes to be involved in the hospital campaign and the letters were all her own idea.

She added: "Kaitlin is an amazing little girl who can see what people are doing to our hospital and how people will be affected.

"Kaitlin is also aware that me and her are very lucky to alive and can see that other people may not get their happy ending if women are sent to carlisle. I couldn't be a prouder mum if I tried."

Health bosses have stressed that consultant-led maternity is being reviewed due to long-standing staffing issues which are making it difficult to fill rotas. Instead they have talked about retaining a 24-hour midwife-led unit in Whitehaven and high risk cases going to Carlisle.

Another option is to retain part-time consultant cover, from 8am until 8pm. But campaigners argue that, due to the distances involved, a full time consultant-led unit in the only safe option.

The Success Regime is set to publish its formal proposals next month, followed by a full public consultation.

The We Need West Cumberland hospital campaign is urging local mums to fill in an online questionnaire about their own experiences. Details can be found on the group's Facebook page.