MORE 1,000 people have signed a petition to keep open a Jobcentre at New Romney, near Hythe.

Helen Knight of Newchurch has collected the signatures to oppose the closure, which is set to take place in March 2006.

The Department for Work and Pensions is planning to close the service and introducing a Jobcentre Plus initiative that will bring Jobcentres and social security offices under one roof.

A DWP spokesman said that current clients using the New Romney centre would be able to use services at the Jobcentre Plus in Folkestone and would be given free phone numbers and website addresses to search for jobs.

Mrs Knight said: "My husband works at Dungeness Power Station but he can have a period when there is no work. Sometimes it's only a week, but it can be six weeks and he needs to use the Jobcentre.

"We need to make people aware of the closure and keep the pressure on the DWP to keep the New Romney office open."