TUCKED away in a quiet corner of Blackburn lies cosy retreat where women can go to have a cup of tea and talk about their problems.

Women from 18 to 80 have stepped through their door to talk about issues ranging from depression and relationship break-ups to coping with life as a single parent.

The Blackburn Lighthouse acts as beacon for the community, a confidential listening service for people aged 18 or over — and has attracted hundreds of people since it opened 17 months ago.

The charity was the brainchild of Kathleen Barlow, 58, Susan Haresceugh, 63, and Charlotte Roper, 34, all friends from Blackburn, who saw the need for a service that could offer a friendly chat and point people in the direction of professional help.

It was set up after an overwhelming response to a questionnaire asking people if they would benefit from a listening service.

Wanting to be in the heart of the community, they set up their base in Kings Court, in King Street, in a small brightly-coloured room with comfy sofas, tea and coffee facilities and tissues for more emotional moments.

Kathleen, the driving force behind the charity, says that, living with epilepsy, she feels that the service is something she would have benefited from herself.

“We all need a friendly ear sometimes, a chance to unload our problems,” she said. “We just offer people a chance to talk and point them onto other agencies that might be able to help in different ways.

“They can book an appointment to come and see us and have a chat in confidence about anything under the sun. I think my experiences have helped me relate to people and the problems that they have faced.”

There are now seven volunteers who have undertaken training to be able the room to open three days a week. The volunteers — aged from 30 to late seventies — are all from churches around the borough and offer prayer to women who attend the sessions.

Kathleen added: “The most rewarding thing about being involved in The Lighthouse is being able to watch people grow in confidence and see them blossom. Recently we had one woman who came to us at a very low point in her life. After meeting us a few times she has taken up a college course and has really come out of herself.

“Being involved here also helps us realise how lucky we are to be where we are and appreciate what we have.”

The charity relies totally on charitable donations and needs about £3,000 a year to cover the cost of the room and tea and coffee facilities.