A Bath Chronicle petition to keep Bath rugby club at its city centre ground has attracted signatures from more people than buy the newspaper on a daily basis.

The Chronicle is in the midst of one of its biggest and most contentious campaigns, Keep Rugby on the Rec, and so far its petition has been signed by 16,500 people. The paper's current average daily circulation is 12,765.

It launched its campaign following attempts by some to get the world famous rugby club to move from its base because the club does not own the land.

A review is under way to decide if Bath Rugby has the sort of future it wants at "The Rec".

The Chronicle is determined to ensure that it does - and that its hopes of creating an enhanced arena on part of the Recreation Ground are realised.

Editor Sam Holliday said: "It's the first time I've been in a campaign where we knew from the start there would be a considerable amount of people against and we have certainly had stick from a minority.

"However, I believe newspapers must be brave and speak up for what they care about because in these days of falling circulations and reduced advertising the last thing a newspaper should be is irrelevant."

As part of the campaign TV and radio presenter John Inverdale hosted a breakfast debate on the subject in Bath.

Sam said: "It was an excellent event, full of the sort of erudite and intelligent debate you soon come to expect in Bath. And having John Inverdale hosting it for us was a real bonus – he was simply excellent."