Staff at the hospital complained after the request for an all-white delivery team.

A pregnant woman arrived at a hospital in Milton Keynes and asked for an all-white team of staff to deliver her baby, it has emerged.

The unnamed white woman, who was not booked to have her child at the hopsital, had the request refused.

Hospital employees have now complained to the Equality and Human Rights Commission about the way the situation was handled, prompting the launch of a "full investigation" by the hospital.

A spokeswoman for the hospital said: "We take the interests and wellbeing of our staff very seriously, and any act of racial discrimination will not be tolerated."

She added that there were medical complications during the birth earlier this month, but that mother and baby had now returned home "safe, well and happy".

The investigation relates both to the medical complications and the concern expressed by staff "about the potential for discrimination should such demands be raised by patients in the future", the spokeswoman said.

Navrita Atwal of Milton Keynes Equality Council said: "I'm absolutely surprised by the circumstances of this case.

"What if there had not been a white doctor available? What would have happened then?

"I think the hospital staff should go through relevant training about how to think on their feet when this situation arises."

The hospital said it is thought to be the first time such a request has been made to them. They confirmed that the woman was not local to Milton Keynes, but would not say why she had made her request.