Each trainee midwife has delivered 40 babies

The students, who trained at De Montfort University, feel they have been let down.

The University Hospitals NHS Trust says it is "disappointed" it cannot take on any of the midwives at present at the two hospitals in Leicester.

Some of the students, trained at the expense of the NHS, are now considering leaving the profession.

We were told at interview that we were virtually guaranteed a job at the end of your training - we feel let down Kate Goodman, trainee midwife

Kate Goodman, a trainee midwife at the De Montfort University course, said: "It is something we thought we could do where we trained."

"People came from well-paid jobs and gave up that to begin the course.

"We thought we'd be guaranteed a job at the end of the course because of the shortage of midwives.

"A lot of us did give up careers - people feel very let down."

Many of the midwives, who have trained for three years and delivered 40 babies each, are looking at other roles within the city's two hospitals, such as nursing auxiliaries.

London shortage

A study of seven labour units in the UK released in 2004 found they were at least one midwife short in almost 40% of cases.

The University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust said: "The trust is very fortunate to have had successful recruitment and retention campaigns and currently has no vacancies for midwives.

"We are pleased that the shortage of midwives across the local area will be reduced, and that other healthcare providers will benefit from the skills and experience the midwives have developed whilst training."

He said programmes are in place to put the jobless midwives in touch with hospitals in areas, like London, where there is still a shortage.

Ms Goodman said: ""We chose to train in Leicester, everybody's feeling they are being forced to move away in order to get a job."