CIVIC chiefs have been handed a 2,500-name petition calling for a busy household waste recycling centre in Hampshire to be spared the axe.

Campaigners fear the facility in Normandy Way, Marchwood, could fall victim to cost-cutting plans drawn up by the county council - despite being used by nearly 200,000 people a year.

Recycling sites across Hampshire are under threat from proposals to save about £2 million a year by reducing the service.

As reported in the Daily Echo, some of the 24 centres are likely to see shorter opening hours while others could face closure.

Daily Echo:

Critics have warned that any cuts could spark an increase in fly-tipping in the New Forest and other parts of Hampshire.

Now a petition raised in a bid to save the Marchwood tip has been presented to the county council's new executive member for environment, Cllr Rob Humby.

Marchwood county councillor David Harrison, who launched the petition, said: "I am very grateful to the thousands of local people who have taken the trouble to let the county council know just how important this facility is.

"Most people appreciate that any closure would lead to an increase in fly-tipping. This would be totally unacceptable, especially in the New Forest."

County councillors will decide the fate of each site following a public consultation exercise that is due to end on May 25.

The issue was raised at a meeting of the district council's environment, overview and scrutiny panel, which flatly rejected the idea of closing any tips.

Members heard that the Marchwood centre received 197,326 visits in 2014-2015 while a similar facility at Somerley, near Ringwood, was used by 178,101 in the same period.

Cllr Les Puttock said: "We don't want any more fly-tipping and that would happen if the county council closed a tip like Marchwood."

Cllr Steve Rippon-Swaine suggested charging residents £1 every time they used one of the recycling sites, saying the revenue raised would eliminate the need for any closures.

"We would not have to go through this process - and there would be money left over to refurbish the network," he said.

The county council has pledged to take all views into consideration before making a decision in the summer.