A DESPERATE plea has been made in a bid to save a town's community centre.

Linda Forrester said she uses the Shotton Community Centre every day for her pre-school - Kiddy Kabin.

However, she said it is currently under threat of closure due to needing repairs.

Ms Forrester told the Leader: "The community centre is currently run by a committee of members who are in their 80s.

"It used to be a very busy community centre but as the committee has grown older, it's not been advertised as much. It also needs repairs so they have come to a decision that it needs to go.

"I thought I could find a premises elsewhere but because it's in Shotton there's nowhere else, there's nothing here as it is.

"We use it every day. I begged them to keep the community centre for another year but they haven't got back to me yet with a decision."

A meeting will be held at the community centre, based in Plymouth Street, on Tuesday, July 16 at 7pm and all local residents have been invited to attend.

Ms Forrester said she is urging people to come forward to help out in any way they can - whether by becoming members of a new committee or fundraising to help with repairs.

She added: "I'm sending out a plea to parents to see whether they can become part of a new committee of help with repairs, anything we can do to keep it going.

"I'm overwhelmed with the response from parents so far, they said they would help out if we took it over and would help fundraise.

"Time is of the essence.

"For us alone, we have been going for around 30 years and there's no other pre school in Shotton for children. We would have to end if the community centre shuts because we will have nowhere else to go.

"It's the community centre of Shotton but people will say it's not getting used. I think that people are unaware that there's help needed here.

"Nearly every child in Shotton has been to Kiddy Kabin, I'm sure on merit of us having to be shut down, people would want to help."