Campaigners have been out in force over the weekend to gather support to get a mental health facility open in the Towns.

Supporters wanting to reinstate a centre in Medway have been holding regular stalls at weekends to gather signatures on a petition.

They started in Gillingham earlier this month and on Saturday moved onto Rochester High Street.

The campaigners have organised a series of public events as they call on the government to reinstate a mental health unit in the Towns, following the closure of A block at Medway Maritime in 2013.

Patients are now sent to other centres in Maidstone, Dartford or further afield. The Medway Messenger has previously reported how some have been kept in police cells because there is no where else safe and secure for them to go.

"The campaign group said KMPT (Kent and Medway’s mental health trust) spent more than £5.6m on out of area referrals last year . Their aim is reinstate a fit for purpose unit in Medway.

A block, the in-patient ward at Medway hospital run by KMPT, closed because it was outdated.

Paul Chaplin, from Medway Liberal Democrats which is leading the campaign, said: “Medway’s population is approximately 270,000. It’s estimated one in four of us will need to access mental health services at some stage.

"That’s up to 67,500, Medway people who may need this facility which is just not available locally.

“With Medway’s continuing expansion it’s essential people can receive treatment locally. I believe in a Better Medway, not just a bigger Medway.”

He said of the roadshow in Rochester: “It was a great day and went fantastically well. We had lots of additional support and signatures.”

The campaign group will be gathering signatures in High Street, Chatham today. On Saturday, September 9 they will move to Rainham and on Saturday, September 30, they will be in Strood.

In October the group will be in Twydall, Rochester, Parkwood and Strood again and in November will visit Chatham and Gillingham again to gather more support.