SIXTEEN thousand voices!That was how many names were on the Evening Star Save the Blue Cross campaign petition as it was handed over to charity chiefs, who pledged to take into account the views of everyone who signed calling for the animal rescue shelter to be kept open.

SIXTEEN thousand voices!

That was how many names were on the Evening Star Save the Blue Cross campaign petition as it was handed over to charity chiefs, who pledged to take into account the views of everyone who signed calling for the animal rescue shelter to be kept open.

Former centre manager and volunteer Tom Crowley said: “The response has been tremendous and we would like to thank every person who has signed and given the centre, its staff and animals, their support.

“It shows how strongly people feel about this issue - no-one wants the centre to close.

“The campaign doesn't end here.

“We will continue to put forward views to the Blue Cross management and hope they will change their minds about closure.”

The 16,300-signature petition was received at the centre by Christian Bamber, the charity's director of service delivery.

“We are enormously grateful for this petition because it's a reflection of the support for the charity and its work and the Felixstowe centre,” he

said.

“It's fantastic to see such support for the Blue Cross and how it is part of the community, and the petition will be a very important consideration among other considerations as we look at the feedback from the consultation.”

Consultation on the closure proposals ends on March 5 and a decision is expected in a matter of weeks.

Send us your messages of support - write to Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk