CAMPAIGNERS battling to save a North Yorkshire library have spelt out the impact they claim its potential closure would have on the life of their community.

An open meeting over the future of Easingwold Library, attended by hundreds of people, was held on Tuesday.

The meeting was part of a consultation organised by North Yorkshire County Council on its plans to shut branches and save £2 million from its library budget.

Beverley Knights, of the Friends of Easingwold Library group, said: “The library has been at the heart of our community for 50 years and we’re not going to let it go now.

“Libraries are an easy target, but closing them will badly hit families, the elderly and anybody else who relies on this vital community service. They don’t just provide books, they provide a lifeline in a rural area like this.”

The council’s plans include cutting the number of branch libraries from 42 to 18 core libraries in the wake of huge Government funding reductions, but the authority has suggested communities could take over the operation of some branches.