A city campaigner wants to maintain the UK’s ties with Gibraltar by linking the disputed territory to Plymouth.

Kevin Kelway, who has spent the last 25 years mobilising communities and speaking on a varierty of issues, says the Brexit vote prompted him to revisit his passion for the British territory.

Back in the 1990s Mr Kelway’s petition to ‘keep the rock British’ attracted 32,000 signatures, and now he believes the time is right for another campaign.

“With Brexit and the loss of the EU links in 2020, we are looking to link the rock with a Plymouth Parliamentary seat to keep our historic links,” he said.

“We are looking to raise 1,000 signatures to submit our petition to the Electoral Commission and new Prime Minister Theresa May in Downing Street.

“We are geographically the nearest part of the UK to the rock, and Plymouth’s military history with the Royal Marines goes back to the Treaty of Utrecht and two world wars.”

Despite being situated at the southern tip of Spain, Gibraltar’s residents are able to vote to choose who represents South West England in the European Parliament.

Brexit means the EU seat will no longer exist from 2020.

The British Government is responsible for defence and external affairs, but Gibraltar has full internal self-government under its 2006 Constitution.