Protest at fire station axe plan

Lives will be put at risk if plans went ahead to close a Leicestershire town's fire station, some residents say.

The proposals would see all retained firefighters at Shepshed laid off in plans to cut the county's fire budget.

Campaigners, who were due to protest at County Hall, claimed that losing the station would mean longer response times to the town and also on the M1.

The fire service said it was carrying out a review to improve efficiency but no decisions had been made yet.

Potential disaster

Kevin Parker, county councillor for Shepshed, said any cuts in the town would be a dangerous gamble.

He said: "This is not just about Shepshed, it is much wider than that. Our fire staff are first-line response to any accident on the M1.

"But also if anything happens at East Midlands Airport these firefighters are the ones that get out there.

"So it is the thousands of people using the M1 and the many thousands of passengers at the airport."

The fire service said the government wanted the fire service to provide value for money as the funding will be reducing in real terms over the next two years, so, the service needs to utilise its resources in the most effective manner possible.

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The station is located in Shepshed