Thousands have come together to sign a petition to prevent the closure of Hoylake library.

The closure comes as part of Wirral Council’s budget cut plan which will see the closure of 11 libraries across the borough.

The Change.org petition, set up by Wirral resident Clare O’Grady, gained popularity after it was announced that libraries in Wallasey, Bromborough and eight others are set to be axed.

Clare told the Globe that the library is “a lifeline for everyone young and old”. She said: “It’s everyone's right to have a library and others may not be accessible to members of the community who struggle to travel.

“I believe we can save this one by showing our local councillor and law makers how much we love it.”

The petition, which has more than 1000 signatures, has been flooded with comments from locals highlighting how important the library is to the community.

Helen van Marle said: “This library is vital for the residents of Hoylake. It has been a huge part of this community for as long as I can remember and it still is.”

Rob Watts said: “Local Services need to be kept, for people’s welfare and mental health, and local job need protecting.”

Tori Unwin added: “The library is an amazing asset to Hoylake. Lots of young families are local and will want to use the library resources.”

Graham Mossman said: “I can't think of anything more important than books. Education is everything and this should be a top priority for the council.”

John Davies posted: “We need libraries, they're an essential part of our community, heritage and culture.”

Ged Allen said: “Libraries are an important part for their communities. Not only for people who want to borrow books but for the unemployed who do not have the luxury of a computer at home to complete job searches and fill in forms.”

David Beattie added: “Visiting a library is not only about access to reading but is also important for social interaction. This is even more important since we have had so much isolation due to Covid 19.”

What do you think about the closure of Wirral libraries? Leave your comments below.