THE Dorset Echo has delivered a 22,000-strong petition to save Portland Coastguard to Downing Street.

Campaigners yesterday went to Number 10 to hand over the petition in a bid to persuade the government to site a coastguard supercentre in the borough.

The delegation was led by Echo reporter Catherine Bolado and included South Dorset MP Richard Drax, Mark Bowditch and Stella Roper from MV Freedom, Weymouth and Portland Borough Councillor Kate Wheller and Portland Town Councillor Sandra West.

Ms Roper said it would be a day she would always remember.

She said: “I never thought I’d be at No 10, knocking on the door. It is great we have come this far.”

Stella was saved by coastguards when she collapsed while on a trip at school.

She said: “I feel proud of the campaign.

“I feel like I have been able to pay my debt back to the coastguards.

“It’s been my way of saying thank you.”

Mark Bowditch said the day had been really exciting.

He added: “I’ve seen people handing in petitions to No 10 on TV but I never thought I’d be there doing it myself.

“It was a weird experience going there, it felt good handing over the box with the petitions in.”

He added: “I’d say to the government please listen and take notice.

“Don’t take away our lifesavers that are really needed.”

Councillor Kate Wheller said that the borough council would soon be handing in its proposal to site the supercentre in the borough.

She said there were several sites they were looking at in the proposal including Poundbury, Portland Port and the Granby Industrial Estate, but said that ultimately the government’s decision would be down to money.

She said: “If we can give them a better deal than the current proposal for Southampton, then the government will consider us.

“The bottom line is that if we can do the job more cheaply than Southampton then we will get it.”

She added: “I think the campaigns terrific, because what it does is it supports the economic case.”

MP Richard Drax will be questioning the coastguard minister Mike Penning in a special debate on October 11.

“He said he was relishing the chance to put the case across for the people of Weymouth and Portland.

He said: “The campaign is an impressive effort by a lot of people and I pay tribute to all those involved.

“The campaign shows the strength of feeling of the local community at the idea of losing its coastguards.

“I can’t see the same determination, enthusiasm and passion to have it at Southampton and I think that will speak volumes when it comes to the final decision.”

Portland Town Councillor Sandra West said that it had been a great day and that the fight to save Portland Coastguard would continue.

She said: “We won’t give up. What we are fighting for is our lifesavers. Lots of people come to No 10 with petitions, but this one is special.

“This is a petition that will save lives.”

She added: “We won’t stop until we save our lifesavers. They have saved people in our community and now we want to save them.”

Dorset Echo editor Toby Granville said: “We are delighted with the fantastic support we have had from the local community. It is obviously a cause close to people’s hearts. The community has spoken and now it is up to the government to listen.”