'So many lives are going to be lost. . . it's just awful' EMOTIONAL scenes erupted when the man leading the review of maternity services in Caithness flew in this week. Hundreds of men, women and children from across the county rallied outside Wick Airport and Caithness General Hospital on Monday for a mass protest to campaign against threats to the future of the local baby unit. "Hands off our lives", "Listen to the mothers", "No downgrading" and "You know when you've been quango'd" were just a few of the slogans adorning placards which greeted Professor Andrew Calder on his arrival. He was accompanied by a team of health experts to carry out a risk assessment of the specialist service. At Wick Airport over lunchtime, around 200 protesters swamped the terminal building chanting to save their services. A poster innocently hanging inside begged the question, "Are you here on business, pleasure or terror?" However, Prof Calder was quickly whisked away in a car to Caithness General Hospital in the centre of town after local Scottish Socialist Party activist Frank Ward gatecrashed the prearranged press conference in the departure lounge. Caithness Courier