YOUNGSTERS in Oswaldtwistle look set to get their youth club back 18 months after it closed.

The Kick Start youth club was based at West End Methodist Church, Blackburn Road, Oswaldtwistle, but closed after the church announced it needed to raise £50,000 for structural work.

Fundraising started in June and £5,000 was been raised -- but a subsequent inspection has since revealed the church does not need as much work as was first thought. Now church leaders want to build a separate room within the church to relaunch the youth club.

Carl Fairclough, church treasurer, said: "We stopped it because we were looking at the future of the church. The original amount of money needed was £50,000 and we were facing closure. We've since had another survey and things aren't quite that bad.

"We were also short of helpers, so now I'm trying to find four or five helpers to get it up and running."

The club was a popular weekly meeting place for six to 11 year olds who could take part in games and craft activities. If successfully relaunched Mr Fairclough said it would probably target older children as well.

"Sometimes you could get 30 children there. It was very well attended, there were never less than 20.

"We did start an older group last time and got a qualified youth worker, we didn't have enough people.

"We're trying to build a new room so we can use the main hall for games. But we don't want to start youth workers until we have raised that money.

"I'm sure we will get it off the ground. There are other churches on the methodist circuit in Accrington so there might be other people in other churches prepared to help on a rota basis.

"A new room will cost £3,000, and we want to decorate the hall to get the youth group up and running again.

"There's no other youth group in the area. I think it's very important. Some of the kids are asking 'when are you starting up again?'"

Reverend Michaela Youngson, minister of the church, said: "Because of the emphasis on fundraising over the last few months we have been able to do some of the things needed to bring it up to standard.

"The youth club is very important. There's plenty of stuff in Oswaldtwistle but in West End there's not a focus on youth work. I perceive a lack of community activities in West End and because of all the new estates there's a need there. We hope to meet the needs of the community and make people feel welcome in the church."

The church's latest fundraiser, a table top sale on Saturday, raised £232. Anyone who would like to volunteer to help run the club should contact Carl Fairclough on 01254 381003.