Coastguard 'SOS' Received By Penning

A recently launched campaign to save Bangor's endangered Coastguard Station has moved up a notch with news that coastguard staff have meet with Mike Penning, the UK Shipping Minister (pictured left, with Secretary of State, Owen Paterson) who visited the north Down location.

Backed by the SDLP's South Down MP, Margaret Ritchie, and the independent Unionist, Lady Sylvia Hermon MP - who were continuing their support for the retention of the facility - he heard about the local concerns.

Lady Hermon said: "We know we have a fight on our hands to save Northern Ireland's last remaining Coastguard Centre in Bangor, but it's a fight that has brought together the collective will of the various political parties here."

Ms Ritchie also commented after the meeting: "I joined coastguard staff to meet Mike Penning where we continued our fight against its closure.

"Coastguard centre staff made very comprehensive proposals that would enable the retention of the coastguard station which carries out vital rescue missions from Lough Foyle, along the south Down coastline, right down to Carlingford Lough.

"The fishing fleet, tourists and the inland and mountain rescue functions of the coastguard will be unable to be fully served if the station in Bangor is to close and Liverpool is tasked with overseeing our coastguard requirements," she said.

"I will continue to lobby on this important issue and will be raising it at Westminster next week."

In response, Mike Penning told BBC NI that his meeting with coastguard staff was positive and that it was "a breath of fresh air".

Mr Penning is now to make a statement in the House of Commons on the continuing consultation over the possible closure of 10 of the UK's 18 all-day coastguard stations.

"We know there has to be change and we've got some ideas," he said, having also admitted that Bangor was not originally included in the list of stations under threat, but was added later.

"It was a decision made by myself and Owen Paterson and we were honest about that," he said.

"What did come up yesterday - and was breath of fresh air - is the acceptance of the people in the frontline that there has to be change and there has to be modernisation.

"They accepted there have to be closures, the debate is where those closures are."

He said no date had been set for a final decision on which stations would close.

"I've had over 1,000 submissions so far from all around the country and there'll be more coming in," he concluded.

(BMcC/GK)