ORGANISERS of a popular riding centre for disabled and disadvantaged East Lancashire people today made an urgent appeal for help.

Lords House Farm, Wilpshire Road, Rishton, has been holding therapy sessions in the 30-acre complex for more than 10 years but said it is struggling to find enough volunteers to help.

The complex is purpose designed and built to meet the needs of needs of disabled and disadvantaged people within the community and staff work with people from across East Lancashire.

But Mary Walker, charity administrator at the centre, said the charity was struggling because it often needs three people to support each child.

"We have six children on a session and so we need about 20 to 30 volunteers at a time. We are really struggling at the moment. If the children are physically disabled, from a health and safety point of view we have got to have enough volunteers.

"At the moment we have about 30 that help with the evening sessions, so afternoons are the main priority." Mary said the centre has its own volunteer co-ordinator who interviews and trains all the volunteers.

She added: "We serve every area of the community but one area we are struggling during for in the afternoon riding sessions for the disabled and disadvantaged adults and children.

"VolunteersWe really need a lot more volunteers to come in and help with the horses. They don't need to have previous experience, we will train them, but they have got to be aged over 14 and interested in outdoor activities.

"It's not necessarily working with the horses, it's more working alongside and leading the horses, giving support to the young people.

"And e need volunteers to help with afternoon and evening sessions even if it's just for a couple of hours one afternoon a week. But we need people to be reliable."

Staff are also looking for volunteers to help care for the animals at the weekend, who have experience of working with animals.

Riding therapy sessions take place on afternoons from Tuesday to Friday and Wednesday and Thursday evenings. If you would like to be a volunteer call Sheila Jordan on 01254 877400.