Communities throughout Essex showed their passion for local libraries as they demonstrated outside County Hall.

Campaigners voted with their feet as they flew the flag of Southminster, Wickham Bishops, Danbury and other closure-threatened libraries.

The gathering of hundreds of children, parents and grandparents in Chelmsford city centre was a clear display of solidarity and confirmation that, for many, libraries are a key part of our communities.

MEP Alex Mayer branded Essex County Council’s proposal to close the 24 libraries as “a wanton act of cultural and education vandalism”.

It was clear for all to see that the libraries’ defiant supporters of the 24 threatened libraries agreed as they chanted again and again: “No ifs, no buts, no Essex library cuts.”