PEOPLE left homeless by the New Ferry blast staged a protest to tell the government that they need desperate help.

Wirral South MP Alison McGovern also joined the demonstration after she was told that any help will be postponed until after the election at a meeting with Local Government Secretary of State Sajid Javid.

A meeting on Monday night revealed residents frustration at still not knowing what caused the devastating explosion which injured 34 people.

One man, 21-year-old Lewis Jones remains in hospital.

The protest, near to the blast site, came on the same day that Ms McGovern sent a letter to Theresa May outlining how the election has come at the ‘worst possible time’ for New Ferry.

Wirral Globe:

Picture sent in by Christopher Power

One protestor, resident Christopher Power, 48, said: “We all felt some hope when Theresa May said that she would help rebuild New Ferry but now, after the last week’s election announcement, any help has been postponed.

“When I went out yesterday for the peaceful protest we were all victims and we put aside our pain and focused on the memories.

“We’re all very upset about the government postponing their support. It’s like a warzone.

“If this happened in London I think the Prime Minister and her colleagues would have gone to look around and emergency aid and funding would have been given.

“I wonder how she would feel if she looked around the village. We need a lot of funding to regenerate New Ferry now.

“All the community is coming together and raising funds but this shouldn’t be the case.

“We know parliament shuts down before an election but something needs to be done now.

“The devastation is all around us, we just want answers. With the election looming we don’t want the blast to be forgotten about.

“If something is to be done now, we won’t fall back. I just pray officials will come and have a look. This is a terrible disaster.

“We’re saying to the UK we may be in the North, we may be a small place in Wirral but please don’t forget us.”

Wirral Globe:

Protestors outside Alison McGovern's constituency office

Christopher, an actor, believes that the community spirit in New Ferry remains but the search for answers is ongoing.

He added: “There are still families that have not been housed and people are frightened.

“Before the blast there was talk of the area getting some regeneration but now because of the explosion, it’s going to be much more than regeneration.

“This is people’s businesses, its people’s lives.

“This is a genuine explosion that we need answers for. We’re still not any closer to finding out what has happened.

“I understand that Alison McGovern has written to police to find out what more they can tell us.

“What hurts us more is comments left online, someone left this comment ‘they should’ve blown the whole of New Ferry up’.

“I can only speak from the heart, we can’t go back to our house, most of our furniture is written off.

“On the night of the blast I came out of my house and saw a wonderful community working together, lifting people up. We’re still going strong and the unity was fantastic.

“All I can say is that 9.15pm on Saturday March 25 will stick with me forever. Everyone will remember where they were at the time the blast happened. That’s something which is ingrained in us all now.”