MEMBERS of Old Marston Parish Council, in Oxford, have vowed to fight plans to close their library.

Old Marston Library, in Mortimer Hall, is one of 20 Oxfordshire libraries facing closure, after Oxfordshire County Council announced funding cuts before Christmas.

Parish chairman Charlie Haynes said: “Mortimer Hall has always been considered the centre of our community, and as a community we will keep it open for as long as possible. We are now mobilising the forces and have the support of city councillors. When we need to move, we will.”

The council is now creating a list of people interested in helping to save the library.

Parish clerk Kate Stratford said: “We have contacted people who would be willing to fight the closure, and will form a steering committee to decide the next best step.”

A parish council meeting on Tuesday heard the library, which is open 19 hours a week, had running costs of about £20,000 a year.

There are hopes that because it is one of the smaller libraries in the city, funds may be secured to save its future. But councillors said they may have to resort to volunteers running the library, when the cuts come into force.