A petition has been launched to maintain an all-weather lifeboat at a Suffolk coastal station amid fears a charity is about to 'downgrade' the provision.

Signatures are being sought on petitions website change.org calling for the Aldeburgh Lifeboat to be saved after the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) revealed that it had been liaising with volunteers and staff at Aldeburgh about the 'correct lifeboat configuration' for the station as part of a review process.

READ MORE: Suffolk: MP's fears Aldeburgh Lifeboat could be 'downgraded'

However, Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey said she feared a potential 'downgrading' of the station's lifeboat capacity as the current all-weather Mersey-class lifeboat Freddie Cooper has reached the end of its operational life.

So far, 820 people have signed the petition on the change.org website, which is aiming to get to 1,000 signatures.

READ MORE: Suffolk: Therese Coffey 'furious' at RNLI Aldeburgh 'snub'

On the petition page, organiser Malc Myte said a new Shannon-class lifeboat was set to be provided to replace Freddie Cooper, funded through legacies left in wills by local people.

He reflected that the RNLI itself had revealed in 2016 that a Shannon-class vessel was going to be allocated to the station, but now appeared to have 'backtracked' on this commitment.

READ MORE: Aldeburgh news

He also expressed disappointment that RNLI chief executive Mark Dowie had not met Ms Coffey to discuss the situation, while there was a 'restricted fund' of £2.4m for a Shannon-class vessel, which costs £2.5m.

He said: "We call on you to meet with the members of the community and wider public along with our MP in a public and transparent meeting without delay, answering questions, including explaining where the money has gone."

He said the charity should listen to those who had the 'hands-on' experience, knowledge and expertise of the rivers and seas.

An RNLI spokesperson said: "The Mersey-class, all-weather lifeboat at Aldeburgh will soon reach the end of its operational service so the RNLI has started a joint lifesaving effect review with our volunteers, staff and wider lifeboat station community at Aldeburgh.

"The insight and contribution from the lifeboat station is imperative in helping the RNLI work with the station to reach a decision on the correct lifeboat configuration for this stretch of water.

"We are very grateful for their engagement and cooperation with the review.

"As sea use around the coast changes, we must ensure that we have the most appropriate lifeboats in place which will save the greatest number of lives in the most effective way.

"The RNLI is funded by the generosity of the public and has been for almost 200 years.

"We have a responsibility to provide the right lifesaving service for residents, visitors and those who use the water, while ensuring donations to our charity are spent as wisely and appropriately as possible.

"The all-weather lifeboat remains operational during this time with no impact on service. The review is ongoing, with a decision expected in the summer of 2023."

She said the 2016 decision on the Shannon lifeboat had not been implemented because operational needs had changed since then.

With regard to the legacies, she said they had not been left specifically for Aldeburgh lifeboat station, but to the charity itself and all funds would be used to provide the most effective lifesaving service around the coast of the UK and Ireland.