SAMARITANS volunteers were kept 'exceptionally busy' over New Year as depressed and suicidal callers jammed the telephone lines.

Over Christmas, the phones were described as being only moderately busy, but volunteers expected the influx of calls after the festivities ended.

On New Year's Eve the telephones at the Blackburn office in New Park Street rang non-stop and several people called into the centre to speak with volunteers in person.

A spokesperson said: "We were exceptionally busy, but it does tend to be like that. People are ringing out the old and bringing in the new, but for many it isn't what it should be.

"Quite a few of the callers were desperate and suicidal. In fact, over the last few days, a number of callers have been very much suicidal because of the aftermath of Christmas.

"A lot of people have had family crises and we have had young people who have fallen out with their relatives calling into the centre.

"Quite a lot of people who are travelling around between visits call in, as do homeless people who have nowhere else to turn.

"All we can do is listen and be supportive for them -- but some people prefer to call in.

"There are a lot of sad people around at this time of year and some have rung us in pretty desperate situations."

Many of the concerns callers had related to loneliness after relatives departed, worries about overspending in the build-up to Christmas and general problems because of the holidays.

Volunteers said that the situation has been no different to previous years and that because of past experience they anticipate even more calls in the next few days.

The lines at the Blackburn office are manned 24 hours a day over the holiday period and the doors are open from 8am until 10pm.

Bill Riley, director of the Pendle, Burnley and Rossendale Samaritans, said: "We have been busy over Christmas and New Year and we have had about 26 volunteers manning the phones every day over this period.

"People ring with similar things as they do during the rest of the year, but feelings are more heightened. It affects people more at this time of year. If someone has had a bereavement during the year, when it gets to Christmas it makes it more acute.

"If they are separated from loved ones it can be quite a lonely time."

People have the option to go in to the offices in Market Square, Nelson, but most prefer to remain anonymous.