TWO Dorset mothers whose babies underwent lifesaving operations nearly a year ago have joined the campaign to keep children’s heart surgery at Southampton General Hospital.

Catherine Lane and Lisa Jacobs met when their sons had open heart surgery within a day of each other last March.

Alex and Harry made a full recovery and are now boisterous 16-month-old toddlers, but their parents believe other local families should benefit from Southampton’s high quality care.

The NHS has just launched four months of public consultation over plans to cut the hospitals offering children’s heart surgery from 11 to six or seven.

Only one of the four options would keep Southampton as a surgical centre – even though it has been rated as the second highest-performing children’s heart surgery unit in the country. If it closed, local families would have to travel to London or Bristol.

Former mortgage adviser Catherine, of Verwood, said: “Southampton were absolutely brilliant with Alex. To break up a team that works so well seems complete nonsense. We were in for a week with Alex and felt as though we were part of a family.”

Alex was born at Salisbury Hospital, but referred to Southampton Hospital when a heart murmur was picked up at four days. When he was four months old, he had eight hours of surgery to repair two holes in his heart.

“My husband Chris and I felt completely confident. We knew we were in the best hands. Apart from a scar, there’s no evidence he was ever ill,” said Catherine.

Lisa, of Parkstone, Poole, found when Harry was two days old that the wall between the chambers of his heart had not formed. He also had his operation at four months.

“We had the choice of Southampton or Great Ormond Street Hospital. As soon as we went into Southampton, we were greeted with smiles,” she said.

“You can hardly see his scar. He runs around and does everything. I can’t fault the unit and will do anything to keep it open. It’s important to have it locally.”

Both families have signed the petition to save the unit and will be attending a consultation meeting at Southampton’s Guildhall on May 24.