�More than 5,500 residents have signed a petition against the possible closure of Hornchurch police station.

Met chiefs are carrying out a review of their estate to see which buildings could be sold off to raise money.

Campaigners fear that the Station Lane facility has been earmarked for sale – and Residents’ Association councillors, including Cllr John Mylod (St Andrews), launched a petition in June to show the strength of local feeling on the matter.

A decision will be made in six weeks time over which buildings to sell and it was announced this week that New Scotland Yard is likely to be among them.

Need

Cllr Barbara Matthews (Residents’ Association, Hacton) told the Recorder that 5,520 residents had added their names to the calls to stop the sell-off. She said: “The custody suite at Romford has been closed this week for refurbishment and they have had to use Hornchurch.

“What would they have done if they had sold it off? It proves we need this station.”

She added: “We need more than one station for this borough, it’s big geographically and it has three main arterial roads going through it.

“And where would disabled people from around here park if they could only report crime at Romford police station?”

The petition has been handed to the London Assembly and will be presented to the mayor by Havering and Redbridge member and Elm Park councillor Roger Evans (Conservative).

‘Unacceptable’

Cllr Evans said: “I have been told that it’s only the front desk there that is really used. If possible it should be improved and kept in the same building. It would be totally unacceptable if there was no front desk there or anywhere else nearby to replace it.” He also pointed out that Havering police are able to use a custody suite in Barking and Dagenham.

Deputy commissioner Craig Mackey told the Mayor’s Office for Crime and Policing on Tuesday that the estate plan was a means by which the service could use money to “get those officer roles where we know the people of London want them – out on the street”.