A successful club for disabled people has been forced to close due to lack of numbers.

The lack of membership meant the Non-Runners Club, based in Whitehawk, Brighton, could not cover costs.

Origingally set up more than 20 years ago, the group was disbanded and then resurrected by Margaret MacDonald, of Alfriston Close, Whitehawk, eight years ago.

It held weekly events for disabled people of all ages from across the Brighton and Hove area and organised monthly trips to places of interest around Sussex.

Ms MacDonald, 49, said: "At the start we had a great response and everything got off the ground very quickly.

"At one point we had a membership of about 90 people and every time we did something at least four dozen people showed up."

Numbers started dropping as members became ill or died. Ms MacDonald also believes some were too scared to come out at night.

She said: "People do not like going out in the evenings, even though we had transport.

"I think it is because of the violence on the streets. They feel vulnerable. The majority of them have had bad experiences or know someone else who has. It's a shame."

Ms MacDonald is very upset the club is no more.

She said: "I felt awful when it finished because I had known these people for eight years and they had become very good friends.

"One of the boys had Down's syndrome and the club really helped him. He was very upset when it finished. Members did not have to be disabled, we catered for everyone.

"My grandson was the youngest, he was only three when he first came and we called him our mascot. He loved meeting the old ladies and they loved him. Our oldest member was 98 when she died."

A former nurse, Ms MacDonald started helping disabled people when she was struck down with illness herself.

She said: "I had deep vein thrombosis and couldn't walk for quite some time.

"As a nurse I thought I knew what being disabled meant but it was not until I became disabled myself I realised just how hard it is."

She now organises The Goodtimers, a club for the over-55s in Whitehawk and Manor Farm, and writes for Phoenix, the community newspaper covering the eb4u area of the city.

But she hopes the spirit of the Non-Runners Club will continue.

"We are tying to keep together and go out for social events every six to eight weeks or so. But I think people will start to drift off and it will never be like it used to be."