Four councillors who left a crunch health meeting before the end have come under fire from campaigners.

Had they stayed, they could have potentially prevented a U-turn from the Cumbria Health Scrutiny Committee on two key decisions.

Campaigners had initially applauded members for agreeing to refer controversial decisions about the future of children's services, community hospitals and maternity to the health secretary.

But, before the final vote was taken, four of the councillors - Allerdale's Carni McCarron-Holmes, Copeland's Raymond Gill, South Lakes' Jim Bland and Ulverston's Mark Wilson - left the meeting.

Among those who stayed was Carlisle councillor Alan Toole, who put the meeting ahead of an urgent family matter.

The departures came during a long break in proceedings, at the new Cumbria County Council headquarters in Carlisle.

There was a pause of over an hour while senior scrutiny members met with health bosses to see if any compromises could be reached - a process first required as part of the "call in" process.

The votes on paediatrics and community hospitals were then overturned when the remaining group cast their votes, meaning only maternity was actually referred on to the health secretary.

Afterwards, Whitehaven county councillor Christine Wharrier, who had originally proposed calling in the paediatrics decision, asked: "Where were the others? Four of them left."

Campaigners have since criticised the individuals, saying they could have helped swing the final decision back in their favour.

Alice Bondi, an Alston health campaigner, said: "I find it beyond shocking that councillors left before the final decision.

"I'd call that a dereliction of their duty as councillors and utterly shocking. How can we have faith in our elected representatives when they fail to see through such a momentous decision?"

They were also coming under fire last night on the We Need West Cumberland Hospital group's Facebook page, with supporters blasting the departures "disgraceful" and "disgusting".

Although many were pleased that the maternity plans were being called in, there was disappointment and anger that the other options were not being referred on to Jeremy Hunt.

Mary Robinson, an Alston county councillor, said: "I'm really not pleased (about the community hospitals vote).

"I think it was something that could have gone to the secretary of state and then an independent review. I feel community hospitals have been sold down the river."

Annette Robson, of the We Need West Cumberland Hospital group, said:

"We are pleased that the scrutiny committee has recognised that the Success Regime proposals for maternity would have been disastrous for the people of west Cumbria. The serious safety issues, problems with ambulance provision, inadequate travel impact time analysis, risk assessments and a lack of clarity in the whole process would have put mothers and babies lives at risk.

"We are however disappointed that in the closing stages of the meeting, paediatric services were not also referred to the Secretary of State. Given the debate earlier in the day, a promise of an independent audit should not have been enough to sway the committee's opinions."

Afterwards, committee chairman Neil Hughes said: “Whilst the committee appreciate the amount of work undertaken by NHS Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group and its partners in carrying out an extensive consultation exercise, members concluded that the decision regarding maternity services reached by the governing body was not in the best interests of the health services of the area."