More than 100 staff at the Birmingham Post and Mail have signed a petition urging bosses to keep the Mail an evening paper.

Last month Trinity Mirror announced plans to switch the Coventry Telegraph to morning publication and, despite no similar announcement being made in Birmingham, chapel members said they wanted to send a strong message to the publisher.

The petition includes signatures from journalists at the Sunday Mercury, Birmingham Post, Birmingham News and the Birmingham Mail, who say any similar decision would have a detrimental effect across the group.

The company declined to comment on the campaign.

Ben Hurst, Birmingham Post and Mail father of chapel, said: “Management have told us they have ‘no plans’ at present to turn the Birmingham Mail into a morning paper.

“But the chapel, in light of events in Coventry, wanted to send a strong message about the strength of opposition to any plans of this nature.

“Quite simply staff feel that in Birmingham, this would be the wrong move.

“The Birmingham Mail has made its name by providing top quality coverage of breaking news during the day – and we believe this is what readers want.

“The Birmingham Post is an excellent morning paper – there is no need for two in the city.

“I was overwhelmed at the response from staff members who all believe strongly in the value of breaking news and keeping the Mail as an evening paper.”

The NUJ says there is a wealth of evidence that late breaking stories lead to big sales increases for the Mail, and this would be harmed if it began printing overnight.