DWINDLING public support could see the curtain come down tonight on an opera group which has entertained the borough for more than a century.

Members of the Bury Athenaeum Amateur Operatic Society gathered last night (Thurs Jan 30) for a one-off meeting to decide its future.

Among them are three committee members hoping for a last-ditch effort to save the musical group, whose performances have been staged at Radcliffe Civic Suite for the last 30 years.

Declining audience numbers and a lack of behind-the-scenes volunteers are blamed for the possible demise of the society, established in 1900.

Ten committee members say they will not offer themselves for re-election at the annual general meeting in March. Earlier this month society stalwart and president Geoffrey Winterhalter died aged 84.

In a letter to members chairman Pat Looker said revenue from the group's last production would not be enough to meet spiralling costs and a vote on disbanding the group will be taken at tonight's meeting at Manchester Road community centre, Bury, at 8pm.

Mrs Looker said: "There is a general apathy everywhere."

Members Sarah Davey, Janet Alarcon and John Deakin still hope that vacant posts can be filled.

Mrs Davey said: "I believe that if we had a good working committee then it need not be as hard as they imagine."