TWO volunteers have been hitting the streets to raise more than 2,000 signatures in support of the Echo’s coastguard campaign.

The campaign now has more than 13,500 signatures with the help of Mark Bowditch and Stella Roper who volunteer with the MV Freedom in Weymouth.

The MV Freedom is a charity that aims to get disabled people out on the water in the specially adapted boat.

The skippers and crew give their time for free and all the money they raise goes into funding the boat.

The pair said they feel passionate about keeping a coastguard presence in the area and this had motivated them to go out into the community and take petitions round Weymouth Carnival, lifeboat week and various other events. They helped to raise the 2,009 signatures at the Oxfam shop in Abbotsbury Road where Stella and her mum Eileen Roper volunteer.

The campaign aims to convince the government to site a new coastguard supercentre in the borough rather than Southampton or Portsmouth.

Under current plans Portland Coastguard Maritime rescue co-ordination centre in Weymouth would be closed along with eight others and replaced with the supercentre.

Mark Bowditch, 46, who took part in the Echo’s walk of support at the weekend, said: “We took the petition to lifeboat week, to the carnival and around the town and the harbour.

“I’m a seafarer and it would be terrible to get rid of the coastguards here. The people won’t have local knowledge.”

He added: “The best bit of going round with the petition is seeing how many signatures we got after each day.

“We did the petition before to keep the helicopter and we managed to keep it and hopefully we can do it again.”

Mr Bowditch said that people should get involved with the petition.

He said: “Don’t just read about it, make an effort and sign it.”

Stella Roper, 32, was rescued by the coastguard when she was 14 years old after collapsing on a school walk.

She is also a volunteer hostess on the MV Freedom.

She said: “The station co-ordinates the rescues and we really need them. They do a fantastic job.”

SHOW your support for Dorset’s lifesavers by signing the Echo’s petition.

The crew of the MV Freedom will be in Asda in Weymouth today collecting signatures for the campaign to site a coastguard supercentre in the area. They will have the Echo’s banner with them and will be at the supermarket all day.