THE Burnley and district women's domestic violence helpline, which dealt with 4,500 calls for help and advice last year, is celebrating a National Lotteries Charity Board grant of £127,000.

The project manager said: "We are thrilled. The grant over three years will fund the salaries and training of a new full-time outreach worker and a new part-time administrator, allowing us to expand our service."

The organisation, based in Burnley centre, is currently run by one paid worker and voluntary workers providing a range of services for women and their children who have experienced domestic violence or abuse.

They operate a crisis reactive outreach service helping women with all kinds of problems of violence and problems arising from violence, including housing and acccompanying people at places like courts, solicitors,' hospital and benefits office.

A management committee meeting will now be held to organise advertising for the new posts, which should be in place by the New Year.

The spokesperson said: "Last year, we had about 4,500 telephone calls or people calling into the office for help and advice.

"Not all the calls are from people in Burnley and in one case we helped a woman get out of Pakistan and return to Burnley to be re-united with the people she had left here.

"We arrived at the office one morning and there was a fax from Pakistan asking for our help. After many telephone calls and fax messages we were able to get her back to England.

"We met her at the airport and and reunited her with the family she had left here."

She added: "This grant will help us to help women in the community and their children who suffer from domestic violence."

The group has been helping domestic violence victims in the area for six years.