THOUSANDS of residents are urging LiveWire and the council to commit to retaining all existing library services – instead of closing sites or replacing them with lending lockers.

The libraries to be affected if the 'ridiculous' proposals go ahead are Burtonwood, Birchwood, Culcheth, Lymm, Padgate, Penketh, Stockton Heath, Westbrook and the town centre sites.

And communities across the town made their way to each on Saturday for 'Borrow a Book Day', which was organised as part of the Save Warrington's Libraries campaign.

Campaigner Dina Kingsnorth-Baird described the public's response as a 'powerful sign of support'.

She said: "We encouraged people to go to all of the libraries to show support and it turned out to be a really positive day of activities.

"There were 350 people at some, the Stockton Heath, Lymm and Culcheth libraries were at capacity."

Dina was at the Town Hall on Monday to hear councillors debate the closure proposals and she admits she was pleased with the response.

She added: "It was encouraging to get cross-party support.

"The feeling from lots of people is that LiveWire are not doing their job properly and have not thought this through."

The consultation period ends tomorrow, Friday – the same day campaigners will hand over a petition to the council urging the authority to direct LiveWire to come up with new proposals.

It will be handed in at around 11am with a message saying: "Cuts may be a reality in budgets across the council but these proposals from LiveWire are a route to nothing but devastation of the network.

"We call on the council to protect our proud library heritage and demand that LiveWire draw up fresh proposals to retain our libraries and withdraw their ridiculous and hugely unpopular idea of lockers or watered down bookshelves in hubs."

More than 9,000 residents have signed the petition, with 8,022 via the internet.

Cllr Tony Higgins, executive board member for leisure, community and culture, is among those coming in for criticism.

But the town's Conservative leader Cllr Sheila Woodyatt, who was elected onto the council in 1983, admitted she would not like to be in Cllr Higgins' shoes during Monday's full council meeting.

She said: "I would not have Cllr Higgins' job for a million pounds a week. I am convinced Cllr Higgins will be as creative as he can.

"If LiveWire get their act together and do a bit of creative thinking it is more than possible to save library services."