AN 11th-hour appeal for help to sort waste paper at a Clitheroe pensioners' club has fallen on deaf ears and cost the charity a third of its income.

The Pendle Club, in Lowergate, has been going for the past half century and is a lifeline for around 200 elderly members, providing dancing, snooker and bridge.

But just six willing volunteers stepped forward to help a group of the club's pensioners sort and load waste paper which brought in around £5,000 a year, equivalent to around a third of the club's annual running costs.

The club has now been forced to close the doors to the waste paper collection facility which has been well supported by residents and businesses in the town.

For the past few decades a group of the pensioners have sorted the waste into bundles and loaded it into skips. It was then sold to a paper mill near Settle.

A small sum was paid to the club by Lancashire County Council for not using land-fill.

As the work got harder for the stalwart old folk, one in particular, Arthur Garner, 80, who has been sorting the waste for the past 15 years, said he wanted to retire.

"I think I should be taking it a little easier now," said Arthur, who also works the equivalent of two days a week at the town's Cancer Research shop, in Castle Street.

"I was hoping to retire from sorting the waste paper at the end of December but had to carry on.

"I've enjoyed doing it but it's a job for younger people," he said.

Several appeals were made for volunteer help but chairman of the club Brian Haig is disappointed.

He needed around 20 people to come forward to help sorting and loading, possibly even more to cover sickness and holidays, but heard from, only six.

The paper which has been collected in the last couple of weeks will be collected by the paper mill in one final run and the old folk will have to start looking for alternatives methods of raising cash.

"I want to thank those who came forward with offers of help and also thank everyone who has donated the waste paper and cardboard over the years for their loyal support," said Mr Haig.

He said that for people wanting to continue recycling their paper, Ribble Valley Borough Council had a blue bag collection and recycling scheme.

There was also provision for waste paper collection at Henthorn tip.

In the meantime, to set the fund-raising ball rolling, the Pendle Club has organised a cheese and wine evening at its Lowergate premises on Friday, April 27.

A number of other events are on the cards for the future, including a coffee morning and a concert and supper evening with Clitheroe Town Band.

Picture: Arthur Garner with paper waiting for recycling.