Two parliamentary hopefuls have joined those calling for a halt to plans to set up a regional fire centre that could see emergency calls from Kent being handled in Hampshire.

Under a shake-up being considered by ministers, Kent’s fire control centre could effectively be relocated and absorbed into a regional centre based at Hampshire.

Now Conservative prospective parliamentary candidates for Maidstone and the Weald and Chatham and Aylesford have added their voice to the campaign to block the move.

Helen Grant and Tracey Crouch have echoed concerns that the re-organisation could result in the loss of local knowledge and expertise.

The pair recently the Tovil HQ of Kent’s control centre to see the operation in action and say the visit reinforced their view that the move would cost lives.

Helen Grant said: “What has been a fantastic service for years is now the subject of this Labour government’s insatiable appetite for central command and control.

"There is no apparent consideration for the potentially fatal effect this change may have on our people in Maidstone and The Weald and on our highly valued fire officers”.

Tracey Crouch echoed: “Having local knowledge of Kent’s road network, road works or infrastructure is not something that an operator from Hampshire is going to have and I fear this lack of specialist information may well cost lives”.