Round-the-clock vigil to protect library

Campaigners in north London vow to guard their local library 'day and night' to prevent Brent council boarding it up.

The doors of Kensal Rise Library were padlocked on Thursday hours after a High Court bid to save six of the borough's libraries from closure failed.

Hundreds of protesters - mainly mothers and children - formed human shields to stop workmen boarding up the buildings. Today campaigners vowed to keep up their "constant presence".

Paula Gomez, 38, from the group Save Our Six Libraries, said: "There has been a fantastic response from the community. Neighbours have been bringing hot water bottles out in the middle of the night to people camping out.

"The community is really upset that the library has closed down and the idea is to stop the council from boarding it up. They came three times on Friday and we staved them off."

About 70 people gathered outside the locked building for yesterday afternoon's vigil, with eight camping out overnight. Campaigners have set up a make-shift library outside. In April, Brent announced it would close the libraries in Kensal Rise, Barham Park, Tokyngton, Preston, Cricklewood and Neasden by September. It said its decision was "rational".