THE Youth Club has been forced to close due to a shortage of volunteers to organise it.

County Councillor Steve Large understood that Lancashire County's Youth and Community department was under the impression that volunteers had been found. It had become necessary to inform them that this was not the case.

The parish clerk will therefore write to the department at county hall, advising the officals responsible for such matters that professional assistance would be needed if the Youth Club was to continue.

THE chairman of the Parish Council Tony Lambert reported that a meeting of residents of Hurstwood had discussed the proposed United Utilities development of the former water treatement works.

He and several other parish councillors had attended and reported what they knew of the plans to the residents.

At the meeting, Coun Lambert read out a letter from United Utilities planning consultant who accepted that any proposed development would have some effect upon the village.

He also informed residents that a range of development options had been discussed with United Utilities and it had been decided that the option of building eight apartments was neither appropriate for the character of the village location nor a viable commercial option.

They were therefore likely to pursue the four mews house option.

Coun Lambert is to meet with the planning consultant on site. In the meantime, the plant facility within the hill mound will be removed and the line of trees planted close the building felled because of their condition.

LANCASHIRE County Council have advised that this is a funding opportunity for removing incidents of derelict, underused or neglected land, under the Lancashire Small Sites Reclamation Programme.The intention being to develop an enhanced environment within the county.

It was important that local local people were involved in different aspects of the projects, be it itdentification, planning or implementing.

There are no hard and fast rules as to what constitutes a small site -- but expect grants awarded to be no higher than £30,000.

Lancashire County Council has been awarded £2.1 million and expect to generate a programme in excess of £6million, the additional value coming from a variety of sources including voluntary effort invested in developing projects.

The Parish Council is to pursue this funding option and will also invite The Friends of Worsthorne with Hurstwood to participate.

COUNCILLOR Brenda Lambert reported that the reading rooms were to be decorated by the borough council. The reading rooms can be hired for meetings, parties, etc at £10 per session. Contact Pauline Frost on 01282 435582.

THE Ladies group spent an enjoyable few hours decorating bonnets for an Easter competition. The winner was Sheila Holmes, whose bonnet was decorated with broken eggshells and hatching chicks.

The judges found it very difficult to decide on the winner as all of the bonnets had been decorated with great skill and imagination.

Pauline Frost, who organised the event, presented the judges with bunches of daffodils.

NEWS from St John's Church: Tomorrow: 7pm Maundy Thursday Meal, 8pm Said Eucharist followed by Vigil until midnight. Good Friday: 10am, Veneration of the Cross. Saturday: Easter Eve 8pm Service of Light. Sunday: 11am Sung Eucharist, 6.15pm Said Eucharist.

Mothers Union: Next meeting on Tuesday at 7.30pm.