A YOUTH club under threat of closure if it could not raise the cash to pay the lease on its building has been saved.

The White Horse Project in Waterfoot feared it would have to close its doors after a cut in council funding left it unable to pay the lease on its building.

Community members donated more than £5,000 in response to an appeal. The youth club, at the Boiler House building, in Burnley Road, now has enough funding to cover payments until April 2015, and it has also had promises of support in the future.

Project leader Jill Bevan said: “We just want to say thank you to everyone who donated money, especially the Rotary Club of Rossendale, which did a sponsored walk for us.”

Will Straw, prospective Labour parliamentary candidate for Rossendale, added: “It says a huge amount about the community spirit in the Valley that so many people have been in touch with the White Horse Project with offers of financial support.”