WYRE Borough Council has unanimously shown its support for deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's intervention in the threat to Liverpool's coastguard centre.

Several Conservative councillors, including Jim Lawrenson for the Staina ward, had originally proposed a motion urging Transport Minister Glenda Jackson to reconsider her decision to close the centre.

But Geoff Horrocks, a Labour councillor for Park ward, amended the motion as he felt that John Prescott's intervention in the matter cast a different light on the situation.

He said: "Mr Prescott has set up talks between the coastguard's union and the minister so we congratulated him."

Mr Lawrenson said the words of the nation may have been changed but their concern about the maritime safety of the North West remained the same.

"The main concern is that we have very dangerous sands at Fleetwood and Morecambe Bay and yet there's not going to be a coastguard station North of Holyhead."

Glenda Jackson announced that the station would be closed due to the introduction of digital technology, which she claims requires less staff to carry out the same level of service.

However, staff at the station claim that the digital system is neither installed nor proven and that not all users of sea and coast area will be using digital equipment.

If the station is closed, Wales will have three similar stations and Holyhead will cover the area from the Bristol Channel to Scotland.

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