IHAVE been told that when the new fire station is built in Hyndburn Road, Accrington, the one in Oswaldtwistle will close.

The proposals, which come into effect as early as January, 2003, is that Oswaldtwistle's fire appliance will move to Hyndburn Road and the station in Oswaldtwistle will be demolished.

I have spoken to several of the firefighters at Oswaldtwistle and they have informed me that every one of them lives too far from Hyndburn Road to be able to get to the new station in time for a fast response and will, therefore, be made redundant, with no one to man the part-time engine when it moves to Hyndburn Road.

So how on earth can this ridiculous proposal be carried out?

It is just a way of keeping the politicians and the members of the public happy, by telling them that although the Oswaldtwistle station is closing they are not losing a fire engine, because it is just moving to Hyndburn Road.

But, beware, because when the merger happens, the powers that be may say that they haven't enough personnel to man the engine, so we will have to lose it. So at the end of the day the fire engine could go with the station.

The firefighters of Oswaldtwistle are a dedicated team and are proud to serve the people of Ossie and also Accrington because over 100 times when the Accrington engines were busy.

So if we lose this engine, where are the fire engines going to come from when Accrington's engines are busy. Blackburn? Great Harwood? How long is that going to take if you are trapped in a burning house?

Oswaldtwistle fire station has always been there to look after the grateful good folk of Ossie and should not be closed. Its crew are always on call rain or shine, 24 hours a day, 52 weeks of the year, and pride themselves on being on the road in three minutes of a call for help.

I urge every citizen of Oswaldtwistle to fight for their station. Once it is closed it will never be reopened. It is part of our heritage and an important part of our life.

Write to your MP and local councillors. This is your station' you pay for it and it is there if you need it.

Everyone realises the important work of the fire service, especially after the events of September 11 in New York, and with two major chemical works on our doorstep, Oswaldtwistle needs a fire station.

D BERRY (Miss), Cranbrook Avenue, Oswaldtwistle.