CHILDREN as young as five have launched a campaign to save their local library.

Pupils at Lingfield Primary School in Middlesbrough are writing to the town's elected mayor, Ray Mallon, and have circulated a petition to try to stop the proposed closure of nearby Marton library.

It is among a raft of 78 possible cost-cutting measures Middlesbrough Council has suggested to save £13.8m from next year's budget.

During the six-week consultation, which ends on Friday, the council has received nearly 600 letters, emails, e-forms and phonecalls from the public.

The withdrawal of Dial-ARide and Shopmobility, the relocation of Middlesbrough Deaf Service and the closure of Marton Library, Southlands Leisure Centre and several of the town's youth and community centres have attracted the greatest number of responses.

James Wood, 11, chairman of Lingfield School Council, said: "The library is so important to us. Lots of the children at school go there to get books to read and help with homework and projects, but we aren't the only ones.

"A lot of the people are older or disabled and they might find it hard to travel to other places if Marton library closed.

"We thought that if we collected names on a petition then Mr Mallon and the council would listen to usmore.We want to be able to help."

Phil Thackstone, headteacher at Lingfield Primary on Buxton Avenue, is backing his pupils' eagerness to get involved in politics.

"The children came up with the ideas for the campaign themselves, " he said.

"As a school, reading is so important and the children realise this.

"Their campaign is also a good way to learn about local government and the issues councils and the wider world face each day.

"The educational opportunities have been immense.

From letter writing and debating to how local government works and even budgeting, the children are getting to see the ups and downs of community life."

Councillors Chris and John Hobson, who represent the Marton West ward and are governors at Lingfield Primary, said Marton Library was the only council-owned building in the vicinity that served Marton, Marton West and Nunthorpe.

"There are other ways of savingmoney without closing the one resource that we have in this area, " Mr Hobson added.

Mr Mallon will address a special meeting of the full council next month when he will outline his final budget reduction proposals.