Argyll and Clyde NHS Board said that the Vale of Leven Hospital in Alexandria would stop handling deliveries from Tuesday of next week.

Expectant mothers will have to travel to Glasgow to give birth at the Queen Mother's Maternity Hospital.

Malcolm Chisholm must arrange for an urgent and detailed investigation into the service being provided to the public by the health board

Councillor George Freeman

A spokesman for the NHS board said the decision to close the unit was based on "clinical safety".

"We have got a worldwide search under way to find a suitable candidate and this will continue until the start of the new year," he said.

"We are hopeful of getting somebody and the chairman of NHS Argyll and Clyde, John Mullin, has pledged to move heaven and earth to make sure the maternity unit reopens."

Antenatal and postnatal care will still be available at Vale of Leven, where about 900 children are born every year.

Argyll and Bute Council has asked Scotland's health minister to launch an investigation into the standard of service provided by the board in the wake of the closure.

'Losing faith'

Malcolm Chisholm sent a team of management troubleshooters into the NHS board last month following a series of managerial setbacks.

Local Councillor George Freeman has called on the Scottish Executive to intervene again.

"It appears that the health board continue to stumble from one problem to another," he said.

Malcolm Chisholm has been asked to step in

"This is causing the public to lose faith in the ability of the board to deliver the services expected from them.

"Malcolm Chisholm must arrange for an urgent and detailed investigation into the service being provided to the public by the health board."

An executive spokeswoman said that the safety of mothers and babies was paramount.

She said: "NHS Argyll and Clyde have assured us that they will continue to try and recruit appropriately qualified and experienced doctors.

"We remain in touch with the board on this issue and expect them to develop long term sustainable maternity services for the people of Argyll and Clyde."