AN East Lancashire library, condemned to closure as part of council budget cuts, could be saved for public use as a community centre.

Church library in Library Street is set to close at the end of April. Now the owner of the building, Lancashire County Council, has pledged to hand over the building if a suitable local volunteer group comes forward.

And community leaders have called on local young people to get involved to save the property for the area.

Mike Ormerod, from Lancashire County Council, said: "The life of this building as a library has come to an end but the last thing we want to do is take it away from public use and just sell it on or board it up.

"We need to start a discussion about what the building can be used for so it remains at the hub of the community."

He said that if a group of volunteers comes forward to run the centre and produce a proper business plan then the library will be donated to the community.

Alan Pearson, chairman of Church Kirk Residents' Association, said: "We know the library has gone as such, there is no reversing that but we don't want it to become a derelict building.

"It is a good building that is ideally located and it would be a shame to lose it.

"I feel we could easily draw up a business plan and that we could get direction on funding."

He said that he is now organising a leaflet drop in the area asking residents to say what they want to see happen to the site. To make it successful there would have to be a commitment from some of the younger members of the community. As chairman I am up for the idea, "But at the end of the day, I am nearly 67 and I have got to look further down the line and we need younger people coming ind."

County Councillor Jean Battle added: "It is not fair for the elderly members of residents associations to do all of the work. Young people have to get involved."