THE Save the Axminster Carpets campaign will be officially launched in the town today.

Workers and trade union representatives will be outside the Guildhall from 10.30am to collect signatures for their petition.

They will call on the government to support the carpet industry in the country and save the 400 jobs at Axminster Carpets.

The workers will be supported by the trade union Community, which launched the Save Axminster Carpets campaign on Wednesday following news that the company had called in the administrators.

A Community spokesman said: "Please come along to support our campaign to keep this historic carpet manufacturer open and in Axminster.

"The business employs over 250 local people and is at the heart of the towns economy and heritage.

"We will have a petition for you to sign, which will be headed with: 'We the undersigned support the campaign to Save Axminster Carpets and keep this historic firm and carpet manufacturing in Axminster. We call on the Government to do more to support the carpet industry in this country'."

The petition can also be signed online at community-tu.org