The protest against plans to shut Fairfield's baby unit and replace maternity services with a midwife-led system was described by Bury North MP David Chaytor as the town's biggest-ever public demonstration.

The town centre came to a standstill as parents, children, councillors and members of Fairfield Baby Lifeline Society (FBLS) packed into Kay Gardens. Mr Chaytor and Bury South MP Ivan Lewis led the demonstration along with Jim Dobbin, MP for Heywood and Middleton, and Janet Anderson, MP for Rossendale. Dr Said Hany, chairman of the FBLS, told the crowd: "They want public consultation - this is public consulation! The last time I spoke, I spoke about passion. This time I do not have to speak to you about passion because the passion is everywhere. We believe in Bury and we say no to the proposals."

Saturday shoppers stood back and applauded the passing crowd carrying banners stating "Why Bury?" and "SCBU should be for life" as they weaved their way down Walmersley Road and past The Rock into Kay Gardens.

The peaceful protest was the culmination of months of planning by the FBLS. So far, the campaign group has collected more than 30,000 signatures objecting to the proposals, and the petition will be presented to the House of Commons next week.

Shan-on Entwistle, a member of the FBLS, addressed the crowd as a mother of two children born on a special care baby unit. She said:

"No-one expects to have a premature baby or a sick child but it's a fact of life that it happens. So when it does we expect the best care locally. Fairfield already has an established paediatric unit - why close it and build another one ten miles away?"

Mr Chaytor urged supporters to write to their local MPs and the Strategic Health Authority (SHA) before campaigner and ex-chief officer of the former Bury Community Health Council, Mr Paul Reynolds, ended the march. He said: "There is no point any of you disappearing into the four corners of the earth and thinking the battle is won because it is not. It is only over when we have won."

The controversial proposals, developed by the Children and Young People's Network, would mean that babies requiring an overnight stay would be moved to another hospital. Instead, money would be invested into local community-based services, along with an increase in children's day surgery, and an observation and assessment unit linked to accident and emergency, would be set up.