SIR – I couldn’t believe the proposal to close Haworth Fire Station and for Keighley to go down to one vehicle.

I live in Cross Roads and, along with the thousands of other residents of Haworth, Oxenhope , Stanbury , and other Upper Worth Valley villages and hamlets, feel very vulnerable if these cuts go ahead. The main way to get to us is either via Halifax Road or Oakworth Road. Anyone who’s lived here for a while knows there are quite often big hold-ups on them, and a six-minute journey is optimistic, methinks.

Apart from the obvious extra travelling time, there are out-of-the-way places round here where local knowledge is necessary, and I haven’t even mentioned the moors on our doorsteps.

I have had occasion to call the fire brigade about moorland fires three times over the years. The last time, the person answering the call wasn’t sure where I was talking about.

I was so relieved when, five minutes later, the Haworth crew rushed to the fire. I doubt crews from other locations would have known the area well enough.

These swingeing cuts must not go ahead, or else God only knows what’s going to happen – and how I feel for the families of the crews. They don’t deserve this and neither do we.

Kath Gower, Lees Bank Road, Cross Roads, Keighley