GOVERNMENT plans to shutdown more than half of the UK’s coastguard stations will be re-examined amid growing safety concerns, it is understood.

However, the future of Portland Coastguard remains unclear as it is unknown which centres will be saved from the axe.

The plan had been to cut the number of UK rescue co-ordination centres from 18 to eight and create two national supercentres, one of these on the Solent.

But, yesterday, it emerged transport Secretary Philip Hammond had decided to redesign this planned overhaul.

South Dorset MP Richard Drax said: “I welcome any announcement by the government that it is re-thinking the issue, which is of vital significance, not only to south Dorset, but to sea users around the United Kingdom.”