More than 22,000 people have signed petitions on Facebook and on the Number 10 website opposing the decision to close it.

And the campaign has also won the backing of Air Chief Marshall Sir Michael Graydon, the former Chief of the Air Staff, who claims the closure of the Harrier base is 'symptomatic of the lack of funding across defence'.

Rutland and Melton MP Alan Duncan, meanwhile, sparred with Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth during a recent defence debate in the House of Commons.

Mr Duncan asked: "How can the Secretary of State justify the decision now to close RAF Cottesmore before the completion of the Defence Review when the economics of doing so must be totally unclear?"

Mr Ainsworth said resources had to be switched as the operations in Afghanistan had to take priority.

Mr Duncan said afterwards: "Britain has been fighting a war in Afghanistan since 2001 and financial planning for it should have been though through years ago. It may turn out that closing Cottesmore before the Defence Review is not an efficient way of saving money."

* For more about the campaign to save the base visit http://www.saverafcottesmore.org.uk