ROSSENDALE Search and Rescue Team's plans to build a new centre have been dashed -- because the lottery said they don't fit in with this year's priorities for cash.

Two members of the team Stuart Charnley and Andy Freeman attended a lottery surgery in Warrington only to be told at the outset their bid for funding was unlikely to be accepted.

The team, which has 25 trained members and a further dozen trainees, has been in existence for 38 years, and is the busiest in the country.

It has outgrown its centre at Clegg Street, Haslingden, and had made plans to build a new centre on land at Rising Bridge, at a cost of about £700,000.

That land has now been sold out from under the team and members are again looking for a site to develop.

After the meeting, Andy wrote to the regional manager of the community fund Andy Freeney to express the team's disappointment.

In his letter he outlined the work of the group and said: "We were therefore somewhat surprised that because we will respond to assist anyone, at any time, day or night irrespective of their age, creed, ethnic origin, background etc we appear to be specifically excluded from the lottery."

Mr Freeney replied to the team saying the community fund received applications far in excess of its budget and that this year the budget had been reduced by £10million.

He says many of the areas of work carried out by the team are the responsibility of the statutory services and the others "do not meet out strategic aims at this time."

Mr Freeney says: "Your project to build a new headquarters, however necessary for you, is not a priority in our current funding policy as explained to you.

"In conclusion, I can confirm that you are not being ruled out because you are a 'totally impartial organisation' but because our funding policy 'to make a difference' is targeted due to limited funds."