A 10-YEAR-OLD girl from Blockley has made an impassioned plea to save Gloucestershire’s mobile library service, which looks likely to be axed as part of the county council’s £108 million budget cutting plans.

Mily Newton, of Station Road, Blockley, wrote to campaign group Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries (FoGL) saying how upset she is at the threat to the mobile library service.

“I use the mobile library lots as my mum and dad work so we don’t have time to visit the local library,” said Mily, who says she wants to be an author when she grows up.

The Blockley Primary School pupil pointed out that on the close where she lives there are 18 or more children who always go to the library bus.

“I enjoy walking to the library bus with my younger brother and sisters. I spend ages choosing many books, some for pleasure and some for school work. I hope this saves the library cuts,” wrote Mily.

The battle to save Gloucestershire libaries is a bit of a family affair for Mily, her sister Franky, nine, and seven-year-old twins Alfie and Ruby.

Their grandma Carlin Anderson, of Fenhill Close, Bourton-on-the-Hill, is organising a protest “read-in” at Moreton Library next month.

The “read-in” from noon to 2pm on Saturday, February 5, will feature Chloe Lees of Bourton-based Midnight Storytellers.

Councillor Antonia Noble, GCC cabinet member for libraries, said: “We have been getting responses from all age groups and it’s good to hear children are so interested in libraries. I’m really grateful to Mily for getting in touch and her comments, like those of her grown-up counterparts, will be fed into the overall consultation.”

Gloucestershire County Council was due to debate the proposed £2.5 million cuts at its meeting yesterday. Protesters were expected to hand a 12,000-signature petition calling for an independent review of the proposals.

l A consultation session on proposed changes to the library service is being held at Moreton Library on Thursday, February 3, from 4pm to 7pm.