A CAMPAIGNER fighting the closure of Arnside's fire station has highlighted this weekend's flooding as part of the battle to keep it open.

On Saturday and Sunday water from Morecambe Bay lapped over at Sandside, near the Ship Inn, as it so often does, leaving Arnside cut off from the Milnthorpe direction.

Cumbria County Council plans to shut the station, alongside Staveley and three others, as it looks to balance its book in the face of huge cuts from the Government.

But the Gazette is leading a campaign - Save our Fire Stations - to try and persuade the decision-makers to think again about shutting the two South Lakeland station.

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Under the plans, which are currently out for consultation, the county council said crews from Milnthorpe, Silverdale and Carnforth would be expected to provide cover for residents in Arnside.

But the road was closed this weekend as Storm Clodagh battered the country - leaving campaigners to claim lives will be put at risk if the plans go-ahead because fire engines will not be able to get through the flood water.

Sue Premru said on Saturday: "Today’s high tide cut off Arnside from the Milnthorpe direction, but these (photos), taken when the tide had been retreating for some time are to show how no traffic can get through to Arnside for quite a time till the water subsided.

"The debris shows how high it had been. It follows that if our fire station were closed we would be without help should a fire-engine be needed here. Milnthorpe’s would not get through.

"After high tide some high vehicles can get up the road to the left into Storth, but it is narrow with tight bends, but they would have a convoluted journey on the back roads to the A6.

"The road round the bend is even lower the Storth side."

Meanwhile, the county council is holding a public drop-in event in Staveley next week to enable people to comment on proposals to close Staveley fire station.

The consultation event is being held at Staveley Village Hall on Tuesday from noon to 7pm.

Comments on the proposals can be made on the county council’s website at www.cumbria.citizenspace.com/cumbria-county-council/environment/cumbria-fire-rescue-service-draft-integrated-risk.

Sign our online petition at: www.change.org/p/cumbria-county-council-a-westmorland-gazette-campaign-save-arnside-and-staveley-fire-stations-from-closure

The consultation runs until Friday 22 January.