A financial package is being being planned to rescue a women's centre threatened with closure.

The Brighton Women's Centre, which has been helping victims of domestic violence, homeless women and those with mental health problems for 30 years, has said it needs £30,000 to stay open.

Funding to cover the salary of its sole full-time worker runs out next month.

Tory members of Brighton and Hove City Council have said they will push for extra funding for the centre in next year's council budget.

Finance councillor Brian Oxley said the party was investigating the possibility of securing £30,000 for the service.

If accepted by other councillors the centre would receive the money next April.

Coun Oxley said: "People are quite concerned about some of the changes in prospect.

"We feel the council's budget should be spent to meet the demands of the local residents. The centre offers an important service and we are investigating giving it our support."

Karen Moore, who manages the service at the Brighthelm Centre in North Road, Brighton, welcomed the offer.

Ms Moore, who will stop being paid on November 10, said: "It's fantastic, and just the kind of help we need. Coming from local government and the council, that's brilliant.

"Most of these women are in dire need in extreme difficulty and disadvantage. The centre is a safe and supportive environment for them to be."

The centre provides advice, support, guidance and information to about 4,000 women a year and supporters say it saves at least half that number from desperate situations and helps them in times of great need.

The Conservatives are also looking at funding a city-wide youth worker at a cost of £30,000. The £60,000 required for the two projects would be taken from the council's communications budget, which the Tories have repeatedly tried to cut back.

To be accepted their proposals would require the support of either the Labour Party or a coalition of Liberal Democrat, Independent and Green councillors. The budget-setting negotiations will begin in December and the final budget will be set in February.