A petition to save the Portland Coastguard helicopter has been re-launched by South Dorset MP Richard Drax .

The online petition had collected 18,000 signatures but was due to expire later this month on the Government e-petition website.

Mr Drax has renewed it with the blessing of the man who started it, Dr Ian Mew. The service is due to be axed in 2018 because of budget cuts, meaning a team from Lee-on-Solent would respond to incidents in the area.

“I fear this could cost lives unless there is a rethink,” said Mr Drax.

“The reason that this petition is so significant is that the government has undertaken to consider a Commons debate for any petition attracting more than 100,000 signatures,” he said.

“This is the magic number to aim for. The last petition had already attracted over 18,000 signatures by the time it expired. We are asking all those who signed it last time to sign this one too and to ask their family and friends to join in.

“We must get a proper discussion in Parliament about the loss of this very valuable asset,” he said.