A NEW service aiming to provide companionship and outings for elderly folk in Blackpool has come to a standstill.

The launch of the new Contact the Elderly group has been halted because organisers say they cannot find a driver willing to spare as little as four hours each month.

Contact groups throughout the UK help isolated, elderly people by taking them to a volunteer's house for afternoon tea, giving them a rare opportunity to be with others and get out of the house.

Clive Hirst, of the Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde Volunteer Bureau, said the person they are looking for needs to be a good organiser and have good links with community organisations.

Anyone interested in helping with driving, or hosting a tea party once a year, can call Contact the Elderly on 0800 716543.