Staff at a Merseyside supermarket have donned spoof 'Scouser' outfits to protest against the possible axeing of Channel 4's soap Brookside.

The show's future is in doubt after the network announced it was lose its prime time slots next month.

It will now only be broadcast on Saturdays, and with its Channel 4 contract up for renewal next year, its future is now in question.

The protesters copied Harry Enfield's Scousers

Staff at Asda in St Helens donned curly wigs and moustaches to ask customers to sign a "Calm Down Channel 4" petition.

The wigs and moustaches copied comedian Harry Enfield's Scouser characters - which were based on early Brookside characters Terry Sullivan and Barry Grant.

Primetime move

Store manager Sonia Owen said: "Colleagues and customers were devastated to hear that Brookside could disappear from our screens.

"Hopefully the campaign will result in Asda persuading Channel 4 to 'Keep the Close'".

From 30 November the soap, created by Phil Redmond, will be only be broadcast as single, 90-minute episodes on Saturday afternoons.

Ratings are now down to 1.5 million - after attracting up to eight million viewers a decade ago.