VOLUNTEERS are wanted to help with the reopening of a library successfully saved by campaigners.

Oswaldtwistle Library will finally reopen at 9am on Monday, January 15, it has been confirmed by Lancashire County Council bosses.

The library was closed at the end of last year after cuts were made by town hall bosses hitting similar sites across the county.

The controlling Conservative group at the county council pledged to reverse plans to close libraries across Hyndburn as part of their election manifesto earlier this year.

The reopening date for the site has now been confirmed and volunteers are being sought to form a group, provisionally called 'Oswaldtwistle Library Friends' to help with its running.

Gayle Knight, who is helping to organise the group, said: "We are now in the process of bringing all the volunteers together to form a Friends group.

"This group will help to put on events and activities at the library, will support the librarian and will fund raise for the library.

"We are grateful for everyone’s support up to this point and we are looking forward to our library reopening in January."

Anyone interested in volunteering to help at the library are being encouraged to attend a meeting at the Civic Arts Centre.

It will take place on Wednesday, January 3, at 11am and anyone is welcome to come along.

Oswaldtwistle County Councillor Peter Britcliffe, who will be reopening the library, said it was great news for the area.

He said: "It is great news for the people who use it and great news for the whole of the community.

"It is good to see that groups are being formed and people are coming forward who want to help out.

"It is great that the ruling group at the county council has been able to make it possible."

The county council cabinet made the decision to reopen libraries which closed last year.

Full council approved an additional £1.654 million to the 2017/18 revenue budget in order to meet the running costs of re-opening closed libraries.

An additional £1.571 million was also agreed for necessary building works and associated costs.

Hyndburn MP Graham Jones campaigned for the library to reopen but has a number of concerns about the reopening.

He said: "I campaigned hard for the reopening of all the libraries in the borough and I am pleased the campaign has been successful.

"I have a number of concerns about the opening hours and the number of professional librarians, who are integral to a library.

"I have contacted the county council repeatedly on these issues."