THE future of a 50-year-old social club has finally been secured following months of confusion.

Almost 1,000 members of Ineos Sports and Social Club, in Bridge Street, Darwen, have agreed to take over after voting in favour of the proposal for the third time.

If they had rejected the offer, the club would have been sold-off and shut down.

Lucite International, formerly known as ICI Acrylics, offered to hand over the deeds to the premises free in April, because running a social club was no longer company policy.

On May 7, a show-of-hands vote was disallowed for going against the club's constitution and a subsequent postal ballot was abandoned for being ambiguous.

A second postal vote has finally been accepted and the club has been sold to the members for a nominal fee, necessary to make the hand over legal.

It means Ineos Sports and Social Club has no connections with ICI for the first time in its history.

A new committee will be elected on Tuesday, August 27, ready for when the club becomes the property of the members in January 2003.

Until then, St Helens-based Resource Procurement Management, who were brought in by Lucite bosses 12 months ago, will continue to run the club.

Kevin Smith, club secretary, said: "I appeal to all our members to continue supporting the club and RPM staff. This will enable the transition period to go much smoother."

The club plans to hold a charity sports quiz for the Lancashire Evening Telegraph Magic Eye Appeal, which aims to raise £200,000 for a state-of-the-art ultrasound endoscopic scanner.

The equipment will benefit the whole of East Lancashire by offering quicker and less traumatic diagnosis of stomach and oesophagus cancer. Tickets cost £3.

For more information call 01254 874199.

Club saved

as members

take over

By IAN SINGLETON

Postal ballot delivers verdict