A PETITION is being launched to save the east coast's flood warning sirens from being switched off later this year.The sirens were due to go out of use in January, but were saved following a campaign by local councillors and residents.

A PETITION is being launched to save the east coast's flood warning sirens from being switched off later this year.

The sirens were due to go out of use in January, but were saved following a campaign by local councillors and residents.

A decision has been delayed until the summer and opponents are hoping there is still time for the plan to be reversed.

The police and Environment Agency favour replacing sirens with telephone and text messages during a coastal flooding emergency.

Sea Palling county councillor Paul Rice is fighting to retain to the flood sirens and believes the alternatives would not work as well.

He said: “Relying on mobile phone and text messages is a flawed system. Signals do not work along parts of the coast and it would be even worse in a flood situation.

“The sirens could be used not just for flood situations but as a general alarm system for incidents like missing children on the beach.

“Flood sirens have been replaced in places like Essex, but there are better flood defences there.”

Both North Norfolk District Council and independent flood wardens favour retaining the sirens.

Run by the county council, the flood warning system covers the Norfolk coast from Hopton to King's Lynn.