Maryport Town Council is leading the fight to save services at West Cumbria's cottage hospitals.

It has called for group to be set up to bring together town councils Maryport, Workington, Cockermouth, Keswick and Wigton to create a united front against proposed cuts.

Health bosses are considering scrapping inpatient beds in some or all of the borough's cottage hospitals.

Maryport would lose its beds under both early suggestions under discussion.

Councillor Carni McCarron-Holmes suggested asking Allerdale council to set up a joint group.

She said: "It needs to be co-ordinated so that everybody knows at the same time what's happening.

"We need to work together and avoid mixed messages and misunderstandings.

"We want to be reassured that our cottage hospital stays and has a role."

The Joint Community Hospital Leagues of North Cumbria have raised concerns about the proposed bed closures.

They have met with health bosses and raised concerns about the ability of other services, including the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven, Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle and county council adult services to cope with increased demand on their services if the suggested changes went ahead.

Coun McCarron-Holmes, who is also Allerdale council's executive member responsible for health, added that she was already aware of a patient who had found the minor injuries unit at Maryport closed and ended up walking to Workington to have dressings replaced as he had no money for transport.

She said: "We need to make sure we get the best for each town and the borough as a whole."

Town and borough councillor Angela Kendall said: "We complain that we don't want the cottage hospital to close, which we don't, but we have to look at the bigger picture than just each individual hospital.

"It's very important to get the provision right. It's 18 miles to Whitehaven.

"You can take a child to Whitehaven and find there are no beds and he has to be take up to Carlisle.

"It needs a bigger organisation than just the town council."

The town council will write to Allerdale council formally asking for a group to be set up.

The changes to Cumbria's cottage hospitals are being considered by the Success Regime, set up by the Government to tackle problems in the county's health service.

Under one suggestion, inpatient facilities could be expanded in Workington and Cockermouth but lost elsewhere including Maryport.

They have been made public for comment ahead of formal proposals being set out.

The formal proposals are expected in late May.

Public meetings will be held for people to have their say on the future of health services in the area.

They include a session at Maryport Rugby Club on May 5, 6.30pm to 8.30pm.