PETITIONS with thousands of signatures were handed to County Hall in protest over cuts to libraries on Monday.

Manningtree’s Holly Turner handed the town’s 1,700-strong petition in along with others totally an estimated 30,000 from across Essex.

The petitions are calling for Essex County Council to scrap plans to close libraries or reduce opening hours and services.

Holly, a mum of two, said: “There were dozens of people from every corner of the county handing in their petitions.

“It was heartening to see people of every age and background come together to defend the vital library services.

“Tory county councillors should be ashamed of themselves for their plan to deprive poor families and older people especially from accessing a service which is crucial to their health and wellbeing.”

Campaigners joined together at County Hall in Chelmsford at lunchtime to hand over the petitions.

A spokesman for Save our Libraries Essex (Sole) said the number of signatures surpasses the amount needed to prompt a debate at full council on the matter.

Andy Abbott, from the group, said: “We had some people from Tendring and Manningtree.

“We had people turn up we weren’t expecting to be there who came with their petitions but we know of other petitions whose organisers couldn’t join us.

“Before we got there people had already been and handed their petitions in.

“The true number of signatures is probably nearer 50 or 60,000.

“The point of Sole was to make sure rather than one library being played off against another, people saw the importance of how they viewed their own libraries but that other people in Essex felt the same way about their own library too. I think everybody feels we are looking to save all the libraries.

“We still have a long way to go, it will be summer before they make a decision so there is more campaigning for us to do.”

Mr Abbott believes the petitions, joined together, are the biggest outcry against an Essex County Council proposal in its history.

He added: “I would like to know anything like that amount of signatures has been collected on anything in Essex.

“I’ve got a hunch it is probably not possible.

“It’s probably unprecedented, we should be very happy with that.

“Essex isn’t known for being the most rebellious of counties in the country, but the reaction to this proposal is there is a rebellion going on now.

“The only way we think we will win this is with moral shaming, and we will do that be protesting as loudly and as publicly as possible.

“We are confident we will make a difference.”

Essex County Council wants to shut a third of its libraries, while it hopes volunteers will run others, in a bid to save £2million.

The plans show 19 libraries out if the 74 in Essex, including West Mersea, Wivenhoe, Stanway, Manningtree, Walton and Frinton, are earmarked to be run by community groups.