Local MP Simon Hart has taken the case for keeping Milford Haven Coastguard to Westminster.

Speaking in a Parliamentary debate on the future of the coastguard service, Mr Hart said that people in Pembrokeshire were "proud of our coastal national park and proud of the people who look after it."

"We are also proud of the industries that surround Milford Haven and we are proud of the coastguard that has looked after the Haven for such a long time with such skill and dedication," he said.

He told the Shipping Minister Mike Penning about the local campaigns that are running in Pembrokeshire to retain the service.

"There was a rally in Milford Haven last week, the town band was there, and the Mayor came to put the case for the Milford Haven coastguard" he said. "A campaign has been run with great reasonableness by the Western Telegraph and the Milford Mercury, and a campaign by Save Milford Haven Coastguard has gathered many signatures.

"I will not rehearse the arguments (about local knowledge and experience), but I stress the comments made about the Welsh language and flag up the need for a healthy scepticism of technology reliability, risk assessments and back-up measures.

"When the 999 service was centralised not so many years ago, if someone rang 999 and asked for an ambulance to come to Newport, Pembrokeshire, it was not unusual for it to go to Newport, Gwent, 140 miles away. People are not particularly happy about that.

"Real concerns are being expressed by real people making sensible arguments. History is relevant, especially in Milford Haven. There is confusion about whether the proposal is the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's, the Government's or, indeed, the last Government's.

"Our community recognises the need for reform and changing technology and it recognises financial restraints, but I hope that he will recognise that there is an obligation to balance those requirements with the hopes, expectations and fears of our community. They deserve nothing less."