MATERNITY beds at Hawkhurst Cottage Hospital will be scrapped because an independent review found them exposed to a security risk.

Maidstone Weald Primary Care Trust decided on the move this week after inspectors said they feared a fire exit could allow intruders near newborn babies.

A trust spokeswoman said: "The security risk was a fire escape which runs down the side of the building. That was a real concern. There isn't 24-hour nursing either so if anything happened in the night, there would be no one trained to deal with it."

Villagers had petitioned to retain the two beds. The High Street hospital, which has 15 beds for elderly people, is undergoing a £1 million upgrade to provide more intermediate care beds.

The empty bed space will be used for community midwifery services and ante-natal classes.