Sedgley fire station has been earmarked for closure, it emerged today, confirming fears it would be scrapped.

West Midlands Fire Service said it is proposing to remove the engine from the station.

But it added emergency cover would not be jeopardised. The station has been shut since June 2007 when all eight members of the retained crew were sacked. Seven were later reinstated and have been retraining. It is unclear whether they will be offered jobs elsewhere.

Rumour has been rife the facility would never re-open. But until today bosses have refused to say whether its future is under threat.

They say evidence shows that fire engines from surrounding stations, particularly Dudley which is less than two miles away, can be in attendance within the Sedgley station area quicker than its own part-time crew.

Chief fire officer Frank Sheehan said: “Removing the fire engine from Sedgley will not have an adverse impact on emergency cover.”