ORGANISERS of a popular playscheme for Chorley youngsters have slammed the council for not allowing them the use of the authority's leisure facilities this summer.

Chorley Playscheme bosses branded council chiefs "archaic" for imposing the no-go area at leisure centres and swimming pools.

The council rules that all supervisors from the scheme aged under 18 are too young. But playscheme organisers say they fear for the future of the event if the council does not lend more support.

The week-long playscheme takes place at St Michael's High School, Chorley, every August. Andrea Barnard, its deputy director and treasurer, said the scheme -- which ran at Astley Park for four years before moving to St Michael's -- once used council facilities and received funding from it to help pay for events for more than 500 youngsters. But this was withdrawn in 1998 because it did not fit in with Chorley's 'play policy'.

She said: "The policy says all leaders must be 18 or over. Because some are aged 15-16 they would help us no longer

"Anyone that helps is given full training in certificated health and safety, basic first aid from the Red Cross, even face-painting skills, so there is no risk to the children."

"The problem is, many people aged 18 or over are unlikely to get involved as they are all out looking for jobs to help them pay for university or further study," she added.

"We are feeling the pressure of financial problems -- the youngsters spend all year fund-raising to help pay for the scheme, but without the council's support I don't know how long we can survive."

Andrea, 48, of Abbey Grove, Adlington, works throughout the year as a nursery nurse at St Joseph's RC Primary School, Anderton, and has been involved with youth work for 30 years. She said: "South Ribble Borough Council offers its facilities to Leyland Playscheme, which has been running in Worden Park for 25 years, and they have volunteers under 18.

"You try to do something to get youngsters off the streets, give them something positive to do and make them better citizens, but you get knocked down because of archaic rules!"

David Jones, head of leisure services at Chorley Borough Council, said: "In 1998 the council set up a working party which agreed, along with various agencies such as Lancashire County Council's social services department, that all Chorley playschemes must be supervised by people over 18 if they were to be allowed the use of council facilities.

"When this play policy was agreed, the organisers felt they were unable to comply, but we overlooked that for one year provided they would comply with it the following year.

"They didn't do this and when they applied to use our leisure centres for swimming, we were not in a position to allow it.

"The supervision of children in swimming pools is a high priority, and I can't afford to deviate from these standards."

He said 15 year olds supervising young children swimming was "clearly not acceptable."

He also explained that the council only provided funding for the scheme when it used council facilities, and that there was no reason to do this if it would not adhere to the play policy.

Mr Jones added: "This is not something that is unique to Chorley, it is quite common regarding the supervision of children."