EAST Lancashire's top Scout is backing a campaign for people to leave charity donations in their wills after a £10,000 legacy stopped a centre from closing.

Bowley camp in Great Harwood was threatened with closure during the foot-and-mouth epidemic two years ago.

The Scout Association is a member of Remember a Charity, which this week revealed 44 per cent of people in the North West are unlikely to leave money to a charity in their will.

District Commissioner Chris Creelman said: "Legacies are invaluable and the £10,000 that we had was a real lifeline two years ago when we lost a lot of income due to foot-and-mouth, which closed the centre at Bowley.

"Without that money the centre would probably have closed for good but now hundreds of children can enjoy it all year round.

"The person who left it wasn't even a Scout, just someone who wanted the money to help young people.

"I think people don't like to think about legacies because they don't want to tempt fate but I've certainly made arrangements and I think they are very important."