A PENSIONER is giving up her lone fight to keep a community centre open after it was ransacked by thieves - and then hit by vandals only days later.

Mrs Donna Hayward, treasurer of Brandlesholme Community Centre, says she is "sick and tired" of fighting alone to keep the centre open.

It opened in 1988 after a public campaign, but now the 66-year-old treasurer says she is the only one who cares about it's future - and she has had enough.

Around £6,000 worth of property was stolen from the centre last week. The thieves took anything of value, including kitchen and computer equipment, and left the building an empty shell.

On Wednesday night, vandals broke into the centre and smeared paint on the walls. There was also evidence that they had taken drugs.

"It is like a vicious circle," said Mrs Hayward. "We raise money - then the centre is hit. What we collect just goes on repairing or replacing equipment stolen."

The pensioner has organised a variety of fund-raising activities to help to open up the centre to more community groups. But Mrs Hayward says she has received little or no support from the people of Brandlesholme, and has had enough of carrying on single-handed.

"They just don't want to know and, with the continued vandalism, they can't see the point," she said.

Mrs Hayward will now return a £9,000 grant given to the centre committee by Bury Council.

"I had hoped to use the money to improve a play area - but what is the point?" she said.

"None of the residents are interested, so why should I waste my time when I could be doing other things?"

Brandlesholme Community Centre opened in 1988 after pressure by local residents to provide recreational facilities. In 1995 it received a £4,000 British Telecom grant but was then burned to the ground by arsonists.

A new building was opened and the centre committee successfully bid for a National Lottery grant, before the apathy of recent years set in.

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