A CHARITY, which was told to move out of its home by the end of the month, was offered several alternative sites that were rejected, according to Bolton Council.

Bolton Neighbourhood Investment in Community Enterprise (NICE) received a letter from the authority at the beginning of the month informing the group that it would have to leave its base at the Victory Centre in Halliwell as its lease was up at the end of August and it would not be renewed.

The news was met with shock by volunteer Martin McLoughlin, who claimed to have had no prior warning or reason given as to why the lease would not be renewed.

But a spokesman from Bolton Council said: "We were aware that the lease on Victory Centre was due to run out at the end of August, so we have been speaking to Mr McLoughlin since the early part of the year to find him alternative options.

"We have offered him several sites, which he has rejected."

NICE has been based at the community centre in Victory Street since its inception five years ago.

The charity offers a wide range of services including courses, foodbanks and helping people gain employment opportunities.

But Mr McLoughlin, aged 67, said they would be willing to continue their services in the street if it came to it, but is looking for help from the community.

The group said it had been looking for a new home, and had made inquiries about the Quest Centre in Brownlow Way, but claimed to have not been helped at all by the council.

He said: "We just got a letter in the post, no reasons why. It said they were no renewing our lease and asked us to remove our container on the car park and move out.

"We had volunteers crying. Some of the managers were in tears and people were really upset. Some of them have worked here five years, even on Christmas Day.

"The knock on effect would be like a stone in the water. We work all over the place."