A GUIDE unit formed almost 80 years ago is on the brink of folding due to lack of numbers.

The 8th St James Guides, based at St James Church, was formed on May 22 1929 but now has eight members.

Now pack leaders will hold an open evening at the church on Monday, between 7pm and 8.45pm and are hoping girls between ten and 13 years will go along to find out more.

Headteachers of local schools have also been contacted and asked to publicise the group and leader Sarah-Jane Hawthorn has produced posters to put up in shops in the town.

Sarah-Jane, 22, said: "We really don't want the group to fold as it would be shame after so many years but it is difficult. If we've got a couple of children off ill one week there's hardly anyone left.

"We are linked to St James Church and the school but we can accept 10 to 13-year-olds from across Darwen not just this area.

"At the open evening there will be eight demonstrations by the guides of the various activities we do so hopefully people will see that it is fun and a good social group.

"We really want to make this evening a success and if we only recruit another four to six girls it would be a good start, especially as our Brownie unit only has a few Brownies and we rarely get any girls from there."

The guides group meet every Monday between 7pm and 8.45pm and activities include badge work, cooking, first aid, crafts and games.

Robert Baden Powell formed the Girl Guides in 1910, three years after he set up the scouts organisation. In 1927, Waddow Hall at Clitheroe opened as a guide training centre and camping venue.

Half of the women born in the UK have belonged to Girlguiding UK at some point in their lives. In 2002 the name of the Girl Guide Association was changed to Girlguiding UK.