Thousands of Nantwich residents are expected to turn out next Friday for a march in support of the town's first responders.

North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) has announced plans to downgrade the service which, local people fear, could cost lives.

Already the number of calls attended by the Nantwich First Responders has been slashed from between 80 and 90 a month to about two a week since NWAS stopped the team attending emergencies using blue lights.

Nicola Tooke, who works at Richmond Village and is helping to organise the event, said: “We need as many people as possible to come along.”

The march takes place on Friday July 11 and starts at The Barony at 12 noon.