PEOPLE in Watchet are campaigning to keep their library open in the face of cuts by Somerset County Council.

The library is one of a number in the county who face closure unless volunteers step forward to run it.

The Porlock library faces a similar fate.

At a meeting on Tuesday, people voiced their concerns about the threat to their library.

Watchet Cllr Peter Murphy said: “It was a packed meeting, there were probably around 100 people.

“The people of Watchet said exactly how they felt about the cuts and they were very unhappy about it.

“A number of people spoke, people who are disabled, young people and teachers who all value reading as a leisure and educational activity.

“They also use the library for research and its computers.”

He said 150 people turned up during the national library action day last Saturday.

“We are asking people who want to assist at the library to come forward but having a purely volunteer run library is not an option.

“It would be a library only in name. We need to have a network with other libraries in the area,” he added.

He said travelling to the nearest library in Williton would be problematic for children or people with mobility difficulties.

He added: “The only option for the library in Watchet is to keep it fully funded by Somerset County Council and we will put that to them at a meeting on Wednesday.”

A petition calling for support for the library is available to sign in various shops around Watchet.