A USED furniture store staffed by volunteers is to launch as a full-time business thanks to a bumper grant of £300,000.

Hyndburn Used Furniture Store, off Fairfield Street, Accrington, which describes itself as a modern-day "Robin Hood" received the grant from the European Regional Development Fund and the Single Regeneration Budget after six years of voluntary work.

The new 4,000 sq ft factory, is to be officially launched on August 19.

The company collects donated items and gives them to whoever needs them in the community, from new businesses to families on low incomes. Covering a wide area of East Lancashire, Manager Michael White said the once-a-week trade they previously carried out could not meet demand and until now they did not have the money to go full-time.

He said: "Our project manager has been campaigning for a number of years years and we are bigger than ever now. We have already collected between 15-16 tonnes of furniture which may have otherwise have gone to a landfill site."

Mr White said there were four full-time staff and a group of voluntary workers including The PACT (Parents and Community Together) Group, Accrington residents and Church Together, who have supported it from the start.

He is hoping a wide variety of councillors will attend the launch. Coun Peter Clarke, cabinet member in charge of economy and employment, has already pledged his support. As last year's vice chairman of PACT, Coun Clarke said he has been strongly involved with aiding the scheme.

He said: "It is a great idea and it is going to work very well giving back to people who really need it."

The charity, which reinvest any profits, will work closely with Social Services and agencies such as Sure Start and the environmental services.

Staff will also be trained to test equipment and repairs will be carried out if necessary to pass on to a new home.