Financial pressures have forced Havering's community radio station to close after 14 years on the air. Link FM, based in Chippenham Road, Harold Hill, will cease broadcast at 12pm on Monday (June 28) after struggling to raise vital funds.

The station runs on £160,000 a year with half of this coming from advertising and the other half coming from grants and donations. However, a drastic drop in advertising and failure to secure grants has been blamed for the shock closure.

The community station has made around 30 grant applications over the past three years without success. This, coupled with much recession belt-tightening by businesses, has spelt the end for Link FM 92.2.

Speaking to the Romford Recorder, presenter Nicki Cook fought back tears as she described the painful decision to close, saying: "This hasn't been easy. We have 60 volunteers - some who have been with us since inception - and we've all put a lot of hours, blood, sweat and tears into this station."