A LAST chance bid to save the Clyde Coastguard station is being made to the UK Government.

The station is due to be closed and the entire west of Scotland coastline served by crews from Belfast and Stornoway, leading to fears lives could be lost.

Scottish Government ministers fear that the Scottish stations will be closed first before the new UK-wide regime has been fully tested and are concerned that Scotland will be left short of rescue centres.

Transport Minister Keith Brown has urged UK Shipping Minister Stephen Hammond, who took up the post last week, to reconsider the plans.

They mean the Clyde station at Greenock, Scotland's busiest, and the Forth Station at Crail, would close, leaving only Aberdeen and Stornoway, with Belfast expected to cover the south west of Scotland.

Mr Brown has submitted further evidence against the closures at the request of the Commons Select Committee for Transport, following their previous inquiry into Coastguard Modernisation.

He said: "I'm keen for talks to take place as soon as possible with the new shipping minister to see if a new minister will mean a change of mind over the fate of essential services.

"Since the original report last year the UK Government has watered down coastguard closures, but Scotland is still very much in the firing line.

"Clyde Coastguard, which is under threat, is the busiest rescue and co-ordination centre in Scotland, and among the busiest in the UK.

"With some 60% of UK seas, it makes no sense Scotland is left with a third of the Rescue Coordination Centres."