A charity which has worked for the community for 20 years is to close because it cannot find enough volunteers.

The Woodingdean Lions have raised around £4,000 a year for needy causes such as children's wheelchairs, new play schools and the nearby Patcham RSPCA.

But the cash for the village projects will have to be collected from elsewhere from the end of the month when the group will be forced to shut down.

The numbers have dwindled from 25 in the eighties and nineties to just eight. Despite handing out flyers and advertising the Lions have not been able to get anyone to come forward so, since they need at least ten to form an official group, they are going through the official steps needed to disband.

Geoff Wells from the group said: "We have been struggling for seven years now and we just couldn't carry on anymore.

"People have moved or left for other reasons as they got older and it seems younger people don't want to join.

"It is very sad, we have been going for a long time, but due to a lack of interest and people joining there is no choice but to close."

John Wilkinson, the chairman for the region, said the closure was part of a trend which affected Lions Groups across the country as well as other voluntary groups.

He said two or three other Lion's branches had to be shut down this year and last year Heathfield's was closed.