CROWDS shouted, cheered and chanted their support for Portland Coastguard on the Dorset Echo’s walk of support.

More than 150 people turned out for the peaceful walk in Weymouth on Saturday to unite people to call on the government and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to site a new coastguard supercentre in the area.

Led off with a specially written cry by Portland Town Crier Stuart Cave, the walkers headed to Portland Coastguard Station on Weymouth harbourside where they gave three cheers for the coastguards in the operations room whose jobs are under threat.

Chanting ‘Save Our Lifesavers and ‘What do we want? A supercentre. Where do we want it? Here!’, the group walked through the town centre and along the Esplanade and were waved to and cheered on by residents and holidaymakers alike.

People lined the route and applauded the cause and drivers honked their horns in support.

Joining the walk was the Allenby family from Hertfordshire, who had extended their holiday in Dorset to take part.

Ten-year-old Alex Allenby was rescued by coastguards last week after becoming stuck 30ft up a cliff near Durdle Door and called the coastguards who saved him his ‘heroes’.

Alex, who helped carry the banner at the front, said: “The walk was really great, I really enjoyed it. The government should listen to us.”

His mum Nicola said it was important for the family to be there and show their support.

She added: “It really highlights the importance of the coastguards’ local knowledge.

“It’s the difference between life and death in some situations.

“It was important for Alex and the family to have the opportunity to say thank you.”

The family of Portland youngster Ellie Hills joined the walk.

Ellie was airlifted to hospital by coastguards in perilous icy conditions last Christmas after contracting a rare and dangerous form of meningitis.

Her family said they wanted to be at the walk to say thank you for all the coastguards had done.

Young sailor Adam Greaves, from Portland, fronted the walk by carrying the banner.

He said: “It was very well organised. I hope that a lot of important people see what we’re fighting for and see that we have been shouting about it quite literally. There has been so much unity here today.”

His mum Mandy said: “The atmosphere has been brilliant.”

Beauty queen Danni De-Bear from Cerne Abbas, who has the title of Miss Dorset Lifeboat, was another banner carrier and said she ‘wouldn’t have missed the walk for the world.’ PCS union representative and coastguard Sarah Callaby-Brown joined the walkers.

Speaking as a union representative, she said: “When I saw how many people had turned out it was really humbling. It was great to see so much support.”

Crew members from the M.V Freedom boat, which takes disabled people out on the water, attended the walk.

The team has encouraged thousands of people to sign a petition.

Crewman Mark Bowditch said: “We all just wanted to be here to support the coastguards.”

Walkers gather for campaign speeches

WALKERS gathered in Greenhill Gardens to hear campaign figureheads give some rousing speeches.

Councillor Mike Goodman, leader of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, thanked the Echo for its support for the campaign.

He said: “We have the RNLI here and the beach lifeguards, we have the Royal Yachting Association and Olympic Sailing Team GB will be based here permanently.

“We have office blocks for conversion into the supercentre, there are sites available for them to move into now.

“We will give the government and the MCA a vast choice and they won’t be able to say that it doesn’t meet their requirements.”

Portland Town Councillor Sandy West said that local knowledge was vital.

She said: “We need this centre. We need it here and we need it now. Local knowledge is so important and it’s built up little by little over years.”

South Dorset MP Richard Drax said the walk was evidence of a community fighting for a cause.

He added: “If we do nothing then nothing is going to happen.

“If you believe in something then you have to stand up and fight for it and that’s what the people of Weymouth and Portland have done today. What we’re saying to the government is that we have the appropriate facilities here. There are many good reasons why the centre should be here.”

All petitions to be in by September 15

THE Portland Coastguard maritime rescue co-ordination centre on Weymouth harbourside faces the axe by 2014 under current plans going through the second phase of consultation.

The Echo’s campaign, in partnership with Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, plans to convince the authorities to site the supercentre in the borough, rather than in Southampton or Portsmouth, to safeguard jobs, retain local knowledge, bring skilled jobs to the area, boost the economy and keep a coastguard presence.

The consultation process finishes on October 6 and the Echo is asking for all petitions to be handed to us by September 15.

We will then tally the final figure before taking the petition to London.

Currently 13,569 people have signed, with more added during the walk.

PCS union representative and coastguard Sarah Callaby-Brown said coastguards had been given an indication that the new supercentre would be in Southampton or Portsmouth but said that they had not been given reasons why.

Speaking as a union representative, she added: “We were given no clear answers why the supercentre had to be in Southampton or Portsmouth. Until they give a good reason why we can only think it's a political decision.

“We have so many good reasons why it could be here.”