More than 4,000 people have signed a petition opposing the sale of Kneller Hall, in Whitton , which is home to the Royal Military School of Music.

The Grade II-listed building and its grounds, just down the road from Twickenham Stadium, is one of 12 military sites due to be sold by the Ministry of Defence to raise money and make space for a total of 15,000 new homes.

The announcement in January provoked outrage among many local residents, with one councillor saying losing the music school would be akin to "ripping a limb from the community" .

An online petition started by Nikki Bradshaw to save what she describes as the "home of Army music" has been signed by more than 4,400 people since being set up two weeks ago.

Her petition, which calls on defence secretary Michael Fallon and prime minister David Cameron to halt the closure, states: "It is a local landmark, set in west London, and is a focal point of our community. Many residents have happy memories of events held there over the years.

"It is only being sold as numbers of recruits have been capped by the government and now they want to sell this listed building at a fortune. It will not only affect our community, but also lose our identity and will put overstretched resources somewhere else.

'Help save our beloved building!'

"There has been no public consultation about this. Many of us have fond personal stories and memories associated with this magnificent place. Help save our beloved building!"

It is not the only petition to prevent the sale, with Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors having set up separate petitions, but it appears to be the most successful so far.

A number of people have commented on Ms Bradshaw's petition, including Danielle Blackie, of Middlesex, who wrote: "This (is) typical of the government trying to make personal financial gains at the expense of the UK's heritage.

"The residents have had no consultation in regards to the proposed sale and (t)his will impact on the community as a whole."

You can view Ms Bradshaw's petition online here .