THE organisers of a charity playbus for children across Burnley and Pendle are appealing for help in finding a new home for the New Year.

The playbus is facing the end of the road after transport bosses withdrew free garage space, despite a long campaign to keep the scheme on the road.

The bus has been housed at the Burnley and Pendle Transport depot in Queensgate, Burnley, for more than 20 years. The depot has offered the vehicle access to water and fuel to allow it to travel to various locations.

But the company has now said it can no longer house the bus because it cannot afford the insurance costs. The bus must now find a new home or face the axe altogether.

The playbus, which operates five days a week, offers children aged two to four a free place to help them interact with other children before they go to nursery.

Chairman of the Playbus Association, Beryl Barnes, said: "We are very upset by this news.

"The support we have had from so many people has been wonderful and proves how well loved and valued the playbus is.

"Our priority must be to find a new place to garage the playbus so that we can get on with the work we do so well, bringing play to children from across the area.

"We don't want to see a service which has been used by thousands of local children disappear."

Burnley MP Peter Pike said he was written to Burnley and Pendle Transport's parent company Blazefield Holdings, in Harrogate, to ask them to reconsider the decision.

He said: "I have sent a letter to them stating that it would be a move in the opposite direction of what we were talking about in the Task Force report following on from last year's disturbances.

"I have also made the suggestion that if Burnley Borough Council have any spare facilities then they should consider offering them to the bus.

"I know they have a transport depot in Princess Way.

"I give my full support to their campaign and will do my best to help them."

Beryl Barnes, chairman of the Playbus Association, added: "This has come as a great shock. I am very concerned that children will lose a service that is not only well used but well loved."

The Burnley and Pendle Multi-Racial Playbus Association was introduced in 1999 after it secured £97,000 from the National Lottery to buy, decorate and furnish a new double decker to replace the bus that had been used for 11 years.

Anyone who can help rehouse the playbus they should call Carol Hopkins on 01282 477190 or 01282 425011.