TRADERS and businesses have backed the Echo’s campaign to site a new coastguard supercentre in Weymouth and Portland.

New government proposals would see Portland Coastguard station axed by 2014 along with eight other stations.

The station receives 999 calls and co-ordinates the rescue response of the coastguard rescue teams, the search and rescue helicopter and the RNLI lifeboats. They are the nerve centre of the rescue operation.

A new coastguard supercentre for co-ordinating calls from across the UK is planned and the government and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have said they would be interested in sites in Southampton or Portsmouth, but no plans have been set in stone.

The Echo is campaigning to get the supercentre in the borough of Weymouth and Portland and businesses and traders have thrown their support behind the campaign.

Staff at Weymouth footwear shop tReds signed the petition. Sales assistant Grace Possoni said: “I think it would be wrong to site the supercentre in Southampton because it's miles away.

“How can that work? It feels like they are trying to bring us to civilisation but they're not.

“We fully support this campaign. They keep going on about people claiming benefits but if they bring more local jobs there will be fewer people on the dole.”

The shop's manager Sarah Bodnick said: “We can't not have a coastguard in this area.”

Bar Banus owner Richard Grayson said that the supercentre would complement the borough as an Olympic venue and sailing centre of excellence.

He said: “We will be known as a first class sailing venue and the supercentre would go hand in glove.

“At the end of the day we need all the employment we can get. It would be great for the town, we’re losing so much already.”

Staff at Hotel Rex on Weymouth seafront said they supported the campaign.

Manager Jonathan Wills said: “I think it’s a great idea. The guests were saying it was a crying shame we had a chance we might lose Portland Coastguard.”

Bistro owners Christine Seabrooke and Dawn Horton put petitions on their counter at Harbourside Bistro in Weymouth for customers to sign.

Mrs Seabrooke said: “They are putting money before people’s lives and I think it’s wrong, so we are backing the campaign 100 per cent.”

The feelings of the traders were echoed by Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce, Chairman Andy Cooke said: “I think the campaign is absolutely the right thing to be doing.

“We’re in a good geographical position for it and in terms of local business we want to encourage anything that keeps or brings employment to the area.

“The Chamber of Commerce is 100 per cent behind this campaign.”