FIREMEN who fear they face the axe because their station is due to close have called for top-level talks with bosses.

And despite being assured that rules will be bent to keep the 11 part-time firefighters from Oswaldtwistle in their jobs, they today said they need it confirming officially.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue plans to close down Oswaldtwistle Fire Station and Accrington Fire Station and merge them at a new super-station in Hyndburn Road, Church.

The proposals would mean that the firemen in Oswaldtwistle would transfer to the Church station.

They had feared that would mean they would have to move to Church to live as well because they are supposed to live within five minutes of their fire station.

Bosses had offered them relocation packages to move to Church but last week chief fire officer Peter Holland pledged to bend the rules to let them travel from their existing homes.

But Oswaldtwistle Fire Station's Leading Firefighter Gary Drinkwater said: "We haven't been told officially this yet and we want it confirming.

"But we still are not happy. Under the proposals we would literally just back up other fire crews at bigger fires rather than dealing with most of the fires which occur in Oswaldtwistle.

"We joined to serve Oswaldtwistle and that is what we want to do.

"We still believe that this decision to close Oswaldtwistle Fire Station is bad for the town.

"When time is of the essence, it is much better to call out the retained crew from Oswaldtwistle than it would be to call a pump from the new fire station in Church which is next to one of the most congested junctions in the borough.

"We have a crew which is on call during the day and one at night.

"If we are called to a fire at 5pm, how long is it going to take us to get from our homes through the Church traffic lights and then through the Hyndburn Road junction?

"It isn't an option."

The Wordsworth Close Residents' Association has collected more than 1,000 signatures opposing the closure.

It is set to be the subject of a meeting of the Oswaldtwistle Area Council next month.

Susan Catlow, secretary of the Residents' Association, said: "We want the fire station to stay because we think it will cost people in Oswaldtwistle their lives if it moves.

"Many of the houses on our estate are wooden-fronted and burn easily. In the past, Oswaldtwistle fire have been here and put a fire out even before the Accrington crews have arrived."

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope, said: "I am meeting with Mr Holland to discuss the concerns of the residents and to see if there is a solution."

Mr Holland said: "I am more than happy to meet with the firemen to discuss our plans. We have met with them every step of the way so far.

"We believe the new fire station will improve cover for the borough as a whole."