A HOME library service in Pendle is appealing for more housebound customers after it became inundated with eager volunteers.

The service, which provides books, tapes and videos to elderly people or those who find it difficult to leave their home, has had offers of support from 20 volunteers and is on the lookout for more people to make use of their generosity.

Pendle housebound librarian, Linda Medley, advertised for volunteers while trying to set up the new boroughwide service and was "overwhelmed" at the number of people who wanted to help out.

Individual libraries used to run their own services for the housebound but Linda appealed to the Women's Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) to support a single service across Pendle.

Within weeks she had offers from 20 people willing to take books to any home in the borough. The service currently has only 50 service users to supply.

Anyone interested in being part of the service can contact Linda and she will arrange to have books chosen according to their interests and taken to their homes.

She said: "We are really pleased to have so many volunteers from the WRVS and I hope more people will now be able to access this service.

"We can take books anywhere, from Brierfield to Earby, so I would ask people to get in touch and ring me. I am very grateful to the WRVS for being so helpful, their response was overwhelming."

Janet Ford of the WRVS said: "We were delighted with the response.

"We also stay and chat with the elderly people about what they have been reading which for many people really breaks up the week with few visitors."

For more information about the services available call Linda Medley on 01282 618239.