IT was the biggest test so far - how many people care deeply enough about Fairfield's children's services to join a town centre protest march?

The answer was nearly 3,000. The turnout exceeded all expectations as parents, children and councillors took to the streets waving homemade placards and banners carrying heartfelt messages over the proposed closure of Fairfield's Special Care Baby Unit.

Many simply asked 'Why Bury?'while some carried photographs of babies declaring 'Alive and kicking thanks to SCBU', 'Children are our future' and 'Save Bury babies!'

Reaching the meeting point at Clarence Park, anyone doubting that this was not going to be a success vanished at the sight of more than 500 people waiting patiently in line for their marching orders. White balloons, emblazoned with the Fairfield Baby Lifeline Society (FBLS) campaign name 'Babies First' filled the air as people swapped stories on why they were there.

The majority had given birth to a baby on the unit, or knew someone who had, while many were just there to show their support over an issue that has caused outrage throughout Bury.

At 1pm, the roar of engines from motorbike club, Crusaders MCC, signalled the start of the march and the protest began to slowly move its way down Walmersley Road led by local councillors and MPs. Passing motorists beeped their horns in support while people in their homes gathered at doors and windows to watch.

Each time the march stopped for traffic, the sea of marchers continued to grow and, what was at first a quiet demonstration, became louder and louder as more youngsters chanted 'Babies First, no cuts in Bury!' at the top of their voices.

By the time the march reached Bury Fire Station, numbers seemed to have trebled to more than 1,500. Walking down The Rock, a crowd waited patiently to greet the march and shopkeepers stood in doorways applauding the passing crowd. Some could not hide their disbelief at the number of people turning out to support them, exclaiming: 'Look at them all waiting' and 'I can't believe so many people care.'

By the time the leaders of the march reached Kay Gardens, it took more than ten minutes before the rest of the estimated 2,500-plus demonstrators managed to squeeze in.

Dr Said Hany, chairman of the FBLS, Mr Paul Reynolds, ex-chief officer of the former Bury Community Health Council, and FBLS member, Mrs Sharron Entwistle, could hardly hide their emotions as they addressed the crowd, describing the turnout as 'overwhelming'.

The united demonstrators cheered and burst into applause several times as the speakers, including Bury North MP David Chaytor, urged the people to sit up and take notice of what was going on and fight for their services. It was the first step in what promises to be a lengthy battle against the controversial proposals and, as the crowd began to disperse, many asked what the next steps will be.

With talk of picketing and a future march in Manchester, the people of Bury will undoubtedly be needed to come out in force once again. Members of the Fairfield Baby Lifeline Society thanked the people of Bury for their support during Saturday's march.

At a FBLS campaign meeting following the demonstration, Dr Hany described the day as an overwhelming success down to good team work in the organisation.

He said: 'Thank-you to everyone throughout Bury, Rossendale and Heywood for the overwhelming response to our campaign and for saying a loud No! to these proposals. We are eternally grateful and hope you will be with us throughout the rest of our fight.'

The FBLS has collected more than 33,000 signatures against the proposals to cut children's services, but are asking anyone who has not returned their petition form to do so by November 8. Under the proposals, developed by the Children and Young People's Network, Fairfield Hospital could lose its special care baby unit as part of a major shake-up of children's health care in Greater Manchester.

The maternity service would be reduced to a midwife-led unit, and any mums and babies requiring specialist care would be transferred to other hospitals. Children would no longer be cared for overnight at the hospital.

But the proposals do state there would be an increase in children's day surgery; more money would be invested into community-based children's services; and an observation and assessment service would be established and linked to accident and emergency.