Proposals to close 12 fire stations in London have been rejected by the London Fire Authority, which included Clapham fire station.

The London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) voted against a consultation to remove fire appliances and close stations.

But the Mayor of London has said the consultation will still be taking place and aims to save £45m in the next two years.

A heated meeting saw Labour members calling for an amendment, supported by Liberal Democrat and Green members of the authority.

The London Fire Brigade said in a statement: "The amendment means the Authority has not agreed to consultation on the part of the plan that deals with the closure of fire stations, or loss of appliances or firefighters.

"Over the coming days, the London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson will be discussing with officers what this means in terms of setting the Authority’s budget and finding the savings of £45m that are still needed over the next two years."

Boris Johnson said: "I am of course always willing to listen to submissions but it's quite clear today's decision offers nothing positive, indeed it demonstrates a complete lack of leadership.

"This must and will be about improving London's fire service, equipping the brigade for the challenges of 21st century firefighting, and maintaining our exceptional response times across both inner and outer London."

Hundreds of firefighters staged a protest outside the meeting, which took place at the London Fire Brigade headquarters on Union Street.

Paul Embery, Fire Brigade Union secretary for London described the cuts as "reckless."

He said: "You can't slash 12 fire stations, 18 fire engines and 520 firefighter posts without jeopardising public safety.

"The helicopter crash that occurred earlier this week showed the importance of having a properly-funded, well-resourced fire service in the capital, and it is worthy of note that the first crew at the scene was mobilised from a station - Clapham - earmarked for closure and arrived within four minutes."