CAMPAIGNERS battling to save libraries across Hampshire are taking to the streets to voice their anger at proposed cuts.

Protesters are planning to hold a demonstration outside Lyndhurst library – one of the facilities under threat from cost-cutting plans drawn up by Hampshire County Council.

The cash-strapped authority wants to divide its library service into four tiers, with the busiest facilities being placed in the top tier.

Lesser-used libraries such as Blackfield, Bishop’s Waltham and Lyndhurst will end up in tier three, which means they could be closed or handed over to other organisations.

Eastleigh and New Milton libraries are due to be moved into what the county council describes as more suitable and affordable accommodation. The authority is also planning to axe its mobile library service, which costs £360,000 a year but is used by just 2,230 people.

More than 9,500 people took part in a two-month public consultation exercise that ended on January 16.

The Lyndhurst demonstration will be staged by the Southampton People’s Assembly Against Austerity (SPAA), which is also battling to save libraries run by Southampton City Council.

SPAAA spokesman Sean Cannon, who lives in the New Forest, said it would be a tragedy if Lyndhurst library closed.

He added: “Closing or withdrawing funding from Lyndhurst would mean no proper library at all between Totton and Lymington, or between Totton and New Milton.

“The county council is even planning to scrap the mobile library service which has served the smaller Forest communities such as Brockenhurst and Bransgore.

“The tragedy is that these closures are completely unnecessary. Hampshire is the third richest county in the UK, with reserves approaching £400 million. Even with drastic cuts in funding from central government, the county council should be perfectly able to maintain local services, should it choose to do so.”

The Lyndhurst demonstration will be held on Saturday at 9.30am.

A much bigger protest is due to take place in Winchester on April 18, when the future of Hampshire’s library service will be decided.

A county council spokesman said the service cost £12 million a year.

He added: “The authority is facing the most challenging period of prolonged national austerity measures, which has already seen its funding from central government cut by more than half.

“The council has already delivered £240 million of savings since 2008 and is on track to deliver a further £98 million by April 2017.

“In December 2015, the government announced larger than expected cuts to the local authority funding formula, which means another £140 million of savings will need to be found by 2019/20.

“This will affect a wide range of services across the county council including the library service.”