People are being urged to donate old mobile phones to help prevent domestic abuse.

The Donate a Phone Save A Life campaign is being run by the Chorley and South Ribble Domestic Abuse Forum in conjunction with the Body Shop and national domestic abuse charity, Women's Aid.

The phones will be transformed into personal alarms using the latest technology and will provide a free one-touch dial service to 999.

The 16-day campaign will be launched on Friday, November 25, by Chorley Mayor, Councillor Marie Gray.

The campaign will later see hundreds of pink balloons released into the air carrying the message Domestic Abuse Must Stop.

This event will be at Leyland Methodist Church Hall, Turpin Green Lane, Leyland, on December 10, the final day of the International Domestic Violence Campaign.

Janet Whalley, domestic abuse project coordinator, said: "It's about raising awareness about a crime people do not know a lot about and it is letting people out there know that help is there if they need it."

o Do not forget you can help victims of domestic abuse by giving to the Citizen's Tins and Toys Appeal to collect food and toys for those spending the festive season in Chorley Women's Refuge.

Donations of new and unwrapped gifts, toys and tinned/non-perishable foods, within their sell-by date, for our appeal can be made at the Preston Citizen offices, 3, Winckley Court, Chapel Street, Preston, or at Asda, Fulwood.