A hyperlocal news website’s scoop about plans to stop the prescription of formula milk to allergic babies has gone national.

Inside Croydon has been campaigning to reverse the decision by the NHS Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group to withdraw prescriptions for formula feed in a bid to save cash.

The campaign follows a column by reader Kirstie Smith about her experiences with two children who are allergic to cow’s milk.

The story has since attracted attention from national news outlets including the Daily Mirror and the BBC.

A petition to the Croydon CCG on the issue has also been raised, and there is another petition seeking an urgent debate in parliament on the issue.

Editor Steven Downes said: “If we had not covered extensively the NHS Croydon CCG cuts to the women’s mental health refuge, IVF treatment and babies’ milk, local people affected by these cuts by stealth to the NHS might never have known about it.

“The column by our reader Kirstie Smith, who has two children with the allergy to cow’s milk that meant she had to feed them with special formula milk, has had more than 20,000 page views this week – so there’s clearly a keen interest in real, local news.”

The CCG says it has calculated the move would provide a saving of £386,000 per year.

Dr Tony Brzezicki, Clinical Chair of NHS Croydon CCG said: “We share the public’s concerns and we will do what we can to reduce the impact on the most vulnerable in our communities and to make sure funding is there for those with the greatest clinical need.”