Outraged TV viewers have launched a petition asking ITV to reconsider their plans to axe the wartime drama Home Fires.

The popular programme, filmed entirely in and around Bunbury and the surrounding areas, followed the lives of Women's Institute members during the Second World War and starred Francesca Annis and Samantha Bond.

Series two of the show ended on a dramatic cliff hanger last Sunday night, May 8, leaving devastated viewers unaware of the fate of a number of characters.

And it looks like they never will find out, as ITV has now confirmed that despite having written half of season three, Home Fires will not be coming back.

A petition set up by fans of the show has already amassed 3,000 signatures, and they are fervently hoping it will make ITV reconsider their decision.

The cast of Home Fires which was filmed in and around Bunbury

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One fan wrote: “Home Fires has been a fantastic ITV series and I’m sure has been partly responsible for raising the public profile of the area.

“It has been announced that it will not be commissioning a third series despite this already having been written and the second series finishing on a cliff hanger with lots of story lines to finish.

“Julie Summers who wrote the original book the series is based on has also been supportive of lots of local WI events including the Cheshire Show, not to mention it is filmed in one of our local villages and across various Cheshire locations including Tarporley and Chester.”

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Another said: “It is such a huge mistake. It was such a brilliantly acted and well written drama and has so much more potential.

“ITV must realise how brilliant a programme it was and that it’s a terrible choice not to recommission it! To those at ITV in charge of commissioning, please change your minds and allow more series of one of your best dramas to be written.”

If you want to sign the petition to save Home Fires, click here: