I READ with interest your pages relating to the closure of Manea Fire Station.

The fight to keep it open is not just about Manea losing out, it is about the whole of the area losing another crew.

Someone trapped in a car accident at March may well be the next life that the Manea crew SAVE. The people of Manea are going to put up a real fight to save this station - and the fight ain’t even started yet.

Statistics and graphs may show Manea is not a busy station but statistics and graphs can be played with to show anything.

We are not asking for a new station, we are not asking for a new fire engine, we are not asking for a new brigade. All we are asking for is to keep what we already have.

Obviously money is not the issue here because if it was Mr Stagg would not be on a staggering �190,000 a year. This is were the money is wasted - on people sitting behind desks being overpaid. I suspect that many capable people could take his job on a third of that wage.

I would like to put all the statistic makers in a smoked filled room at Manea and say “when the nearest fire service gets here I will let you out”. Suddenly I suspect the question of the importance of the saviour of our fire brigade would be paramount.

The people of Manea may not be a pushover when it comes to taking something from the heart of our community. This is a close knit community which will unite and fight together.

Ultimately common sense will prevail and the station will remain open to save lives and the pen pushers will have to go and get a proper job.

In 1976 I was working in the wilds of Manea Fen when my father fell into a beet harvester which severed his arm. At 16 to find a mess like that and the only tools you have is a spud and a hacksaw, I can assure you when the local fire brigade appear you are more than grateful.

The point I am trying to make here is that the difference between my father dying at the scene and his life being saved was because the Manea fire brigade was there in minutes.

I am sure many a tale can be told where the arrival of the little Manea brigade has become priceless.

If there is a way for Manea to keep its fire station open then we at Manea will find it. That is something your readers can be sure of.

PAUL FOX

Via e-mail