Hundreds of people have signed a petition in a bid to save a Colchester petrol station from being sold off.

News that Shell was proposing to sell its service station on East Hill was announced to staff in a letter earlier this month.

Since then between 500 and 600 people have shown their support to keep the facility open.

Eight people are employed at the East Hill site and although it is possible they could be transferred there is no certainty over the future of their jobs.

Staff member Carli Brignull said: "We are glad to see there is so much support for us and it is nice to know that even though we are just a petrol station and there are loads in Colchester people want to keep us open.

"It is hard at the moment as we don't know what is going to happen to our jobs."

Miss Brignull, who has worked at the store for around a year, said if the East Hill branch did close and staff were transferred to other Shell garages this option may be difficult for her as she did not drive.

Peter Crane leases part of the site from Shell for his Colchester Service Station business.

But even though his business could be in jeopardy, Shell is yet to inform him of its plan to sell off the garage.

Mr Crane, who carries out MoTs and servicing at his base, said: "We are all in limbo really. This is the only Shell site in the town centre and it will not look good for them.

"We are waiting to hear anything certain from them. It would be hard for me to find somewhere new for the business, but I would like to keep trading in Colchester."

A Shell UK spokeswoman said the sell-off was part of a rationalisation programme of its petrol stations.

She added: "If this is sold as it may well be as a going concern as many have been in the past, we will make every effort to ensure that our staff are moved over with that.

"This is usual procedure but it depends on the station and on the use the future owner wants to put to it."

She said: "No doubt we will have a look at the petition, and that gives some indication that if people are willing to support it as a petrol station it makes it more attractive to keep it as a petrol station, not necessarily by us but by someone."

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