WESTON is a substantial and growing town. It is home to more than 70,000 people, including thousands of young families.

WESTON is a substantial and growing town. It is home to more than 70,000 people, including thousands of young families.

Key to their welfare is a well-funded, well-run hospital, employing expert and caring staff.

Few would dispute that this is exactly what we have. When we're poorly or injured, we visit the hospital, and we are made well again.

However, a hospital is about more than just treating injuries. Expert consultations and scans, for example, are an important part of its services too.

For a long time, many patients have had to travel to Bristol for such things. The situation was far from ideal, but hospital bosses realised as much, and moves are underway to create a new scanner block in Weston.

Bravo - but now we hope they will turn their attention to another area where their provision is lacking, and accept it too is in need of urgent attention and investment.

Weston's Ashcombe maternity ward is homely, its staff caring and attentive - yet it's a midwife-staffed unit, meaning many pregnant women are unable to deliver there, so instead face arduous mid-labour treks to Bristol.

Complications during pregnancy? Off to Bristol. Problems with labour? Off to Bristol. Overdue baby to be induced? Off to Bristol. And, as revealed in today's Mercury - mum-to-be is overweight? Off to Bristol.

With more and more young families choosing to make Weston their home, a top class maternity provision is arguably more important now than it has ever been.

We hope this is next on the to-do list of hospital bosses, so that Weston's next generation can be born in comfort and safety near to loved ones in their home town.

"COMPLETELY brainless" - that's the verdict of Weston's Royal British Legion chairman on moronic vandals who destroyed remembrance crosses in Grove Park.

We agree. But thankfully these imbeciles have not been allowed to overshadow a dignified and impeccably honoured Remembrance Sunday event that was a credit to Weston.