THE Sophie Lancaster Foundation has moved to a new home in Haslingden town centre.

The charity, set up after Sophie’s murder in Bacup in 2007, faced a period of uncertainty after it was announced its old home, the Agapao Impact Centre in Bury Road, was to be controversially sold off by its owners.

But the group’s spokesman Kate Conboy-Greenwood confirmed it has moved into a new ground-floor office in Deardengate this week.

She said: “It’s been a difficult time for us as Sylvia (Sophie’s mum) has already spoken about. We needed security as we’re always booked up and busy.

“We’ll be fully up and running soon. At the moment we’re just waiting for some deliveries and the internet and phones to be connected.”

She added that the charity had been overwhlemed by the support shown by pupils on a recent visit to Mount Carmel High School in Accrington.

She said: “We sold 100 S.O.P.H.I.E. wristbands in 10 minutes, which is unheard of.”

The Agapao site has been on the market with estate agency Trevor Dawson since November, but details of the property only went live on its website yesterday.

Haslingden MP Graham Jones raised the building’s plight in Parliament in December after residents voiced concerns at a public meeting.