COMMUNITY history projects have been thrown into doubt after a series of resignations left Darwen Local History Society in disarray.

The group, set up by volunteers in 2005, is said to have experienced in-fighting between committee members, and the breakdown began after the resignation of founder member Jayne Waring.

Less than two weeks ago, the society organised for a town crier to be re-established in Darwen, and held a successful Lancashire Day celebration with a reading of the county’s proclamation to Parliament on the town square.

Members have also attended local primary schools to demonstrate local historical activities such as cotton spinning, have produced books, and have plans to hold a community archeological dig in Sunnyhurst Wood.

But joint chair of the committee Bob Waters said: “The society is in total meltdown.

“There are six people on the committee, three have resigned, I’m waiting to hear from one lady, and I’m considering my own position.

“I’d like to walk away, but is that fair to all the people who come to the meetings and all the schools we go to?

“We had 82 people at our last meeting, and there’s another one on Monday night with a historian from an ITV show.

“We do a lot of work in the community and all that is now under threat.

“We have been going along so successfully, and now it’s all falling apart.”

Founder Jayne Waring said: “I have resigned and it’s been building for a while.

“I’m not into fighting and I don’t need it.

“You never get any gratification from the people of Darwen, so it’s time to concentrate on other things like my degree.

“We have done some fantastic stuff, we’ve created some living history, and it’s all been archived.

“But now it’s time for me to walk away.”

Secretary Pauline Hodkinson confirmed that she had resigned from the committee, but not the society.

She said: “I have been on the committee since the beginning and I just felt it was time to step down.

“I am still part of the society, though, and I will still be going out to schools to do work with the children.

"They will not suffer.”

Joint chair Dot Waring, who is also thought to have resigned, was unavailable for comment.