OLD Town librarians will stamp their last book on April 1 unless a community group can be persuaded to take it on.

Swindon Council has announced that the library will close its doors at the end of the month, but one ward councillor remains optimistic a solution can still be found.

Campaigners and opposition politicians have branded the council’s conduct as “immoral” and “a sham” and demanded that the library be kept open until further consultation is carried out.

Old Town councillor, Coun Fionuala Foley said: “I am very sad it has come to this because I had always hoped we would able to find a solution. It was the first library I ever used and so I am sad that we couldn’t work with the community to find a way to keep the building and the books.

“Old Town residents say they don’t have a community building. Here is an opportunity for an organisation to make use of the building and secure a library facility for Old Town at the same time.

“I had hoped that Old Town residents would be willing to work together as a community to safeguard the library building through this really difficult time. I would still fight to keep the building and the library books there if there was a group willing to take it on.”

Old Town Library campaigner, Shirley Burnham, said: “Coun Foley isn’t half as sad as the residents of Old Town. As far as I am aware none of the Old Town councillors use the library, although there is another local councillor who does.

“People in the library were very, very sad when they saw the flyers announcing the closure, especially the older people and people in wheelchairs. What they have done is totally immoral. There has not been consultation over closure, only over the use of volunteers.

“Coun Foley needs to start listening to the people of Old Town, who have said very clearly that they do not want a library staffed by volunteers, they want the library as it is now.”

Mrs Burnham has even taken her fight to 10 Downing Street, having been invited by South Swindon MP Anne Snelgrove to celebrate International Women’s Day.

There she was introduced to Hazel Blears, the communities minister, Barbara Follett, minister for culture, and the Prime Minister and Mrs Brown.

She said: “Although they had to shake hands with masses of people, he seemed pleased to be introduced to me by Anne and I was able to put in a word about Swindon’s libraries, the Tory council and how much we, the residents, would like his help.”

South Swindon MP, Anne Snelgrove, said: “The consultation was a sham because local people’s views weren’t taken into account.

“I have had a number of meetings about this and I will continue to do all I can. Clearly if the consultation was inadequately carried out the council should look again. This is not about funding, it is about ideology – a belief that branch libraries remain important.”