A GARAGE has collected 4,000 customers' signatures on a petition asking for it be be allowed to sell alcohol.

Ian Cox, owner of the Prestonway Service Station, Preston New Road, Blackburn, said he collected the signatures in only a week and very few customers objected to his plans.

He intends to give the petition to Blackburn magistrates next month, when they will decide whether to give him the licence to sell liquor to be drunk off the premises.

If he's successful, his will be the first Blackburn garage to sell liquor and one of the first in East Lancashire.

Kitchens Garage, in Trafalgar Street, Burnley, began selling alcohol at its Spar shop shortly before Christmas and Bolton Road Service Station, Darwen, was also granted a licence this month.

Mr Cox said: "It's becoming more and more common up and down the country because service stations are becoming reliant on the profitability of their shops. The profit margins are coming down on petrol and we have to concentrate on our other sales."

Mr Cox said he first applied for a licence three years ago and was refused as police believed it would encourage drink-driving.

He said: "These days, everybody drives to off-licences or supermarkets anyway, so that argument doesn't stand up anymore.

"No-one's going to buy a can and start drinking it in their car."

Although the garage is open 24 hours, alcohol would only be sold before 11pm.