COUNCILLORS have vowed to help prevent a Rossendale boxing club from folding following proposals to sell off the council premises it uses.

Jack Taylor, president of Sharples Amateur Boxing Club, said the club may be forced to close if alternative premises can't be found.

The club has been training at Haslingden Public Hall for more than 30 years -- helping to keep youngsters off the streets.

But Rossendale Council has put forward plans to close five of its leisure facilities, including the public hall, as part of a cost cutting exercise.

The authority is to sell the building on the open market leaving not only the boxing club homeless, but also Helmshore Credit Union.

Haslingden businessman Jack, 84, of Rising Bridge, said: "It would be easy for me to say 'right that's me finished' but I don't want that.

"Everybody offers their services on a voluntary basis. We don't make any money out of this -- it's all done for the children.

"I want to see this service continue to thrive. We have more than 40 youngsters who are all keen and dedicated coming to the club, many of them more than three times a week. The kids need this and for the council to turn round and take it away because they say they have more important things to be spending the money on is just ridiculous."

Other buildings are being looked at including a church building off Grane Road and Haslingden Sports Centre -- which organisers say are both unsuitable.

Alan Schofield, Greenfield ward councillor, said: "It should be up to us to find the group somewhere else to go.

"We have a group here of 40 youngsters who come together every week to get involved with a sport they obviously all enjoy.

"If this group falls to the wayside then instead of coming together in this way they will be turfed out onto the streets with nothing to do.

"We should be applauding these youngsters and helping them find an alternative location. One idea is the sports centre but there have been some doubts about the regulations which would mean them having to take the boxing ring down every time they used it. We we should be finding money to help keep the children off the streets."