Parents responded with fury after a medical professional, who offered hope to expectant mothers, had her contract cancelled.

Surrey Primary Care Trust has stopped Sally Hill from performing prenatal screening for Down's syndrome.

The sonographer, based at Oxted Health Clinic, performed her final scan at the centre on Gresham Road last month.

The move follows the mother-of-two's campaign for changes to NHS guidelines on pregnancy screening introduced in April last year.

She claims, working in line with such guidelines, there had been occasions where she saw suspected cases of the condition – but had been prevented from telling the expectant mother.

Mrs Hill had previously claimed the new guidelines were not as accurate as her own methods, and campaigned for all blood tests to be taken at 10 weeks, and for all results to be delivered face-to-face.

The 48-year-old asked the Surrey PCT to reconsider the scan procedures to prevent mothers from getting less accurate advice over their unborn babies' health.

Oxted resident Juliana Co pland, 33, of Beadles Lane, was one of the first mothers to be tested under the new guidelines on April 7.

She said: "I was really shocked when I heard. We are losing a service offered by one of the best sonographers in the profession.

"What do all the mothers around Oxted do now?

Speaking to the Mirror, Mrs Hill said: "There's nothing I can do about it now.

"I spoke up at the time as I wanted the best for my patients, but I don't want to lose anymore of our services."

Mrs Hill claims medical research shows that blood tests taken at 12 weeks, instead of 10, will lead to a seven per cent drop in accuracy.

Blood tests at 10 weeks were undertaken in a three-month trial at Oxted Health Centre from November 2007.

Helena Reeves, Director of Communications at NHS Surrey, said: "Across the whole of Surrey, screening for Down's syndrome takes place at acute hospitals.

"In East Surrey this service is provided by Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.

"Oxted Health Centre therefore no longer has a contract to undertake Down's syndrome screening."

Despite losing the Surrey PCT contract to screen for Down's Syndrome, the clinic remains open for other NHS prenatal services.