YOUNGSTERS on Droitwich's Westlands estate have been told they can't continue to use a community hall for their Sunday school after a clash between two community groups.

The Westlands Community Association has told the Lighthouse Sunday school it can no longer use the hall after mediation between the leaders of the two groups broke down.

Councillors Roy Seabourne and Lynne Duffy had agreed to act as mediators to try to sort out contractual problems and disagreements over how the community association was run and the hall used.

However, the Sunday school - which attracts about 60 children each week - was forced to hold its last session at the hall on Sunday, February 17, after the community association withdrew from mediation and asked them to find somewhere else to meet.

Linda Hartley, who runs the group, toddlers group Tiny Treasures and a youth club X-stream, said all the groups would now have to find somewhere else and the situation had upset the children.

She said: "We have had tears. Some of them have been very angry and confused and the older ones are questioning it and haven't understood why.

"There's nothing else to do on the estate. They get moaned at by people if they are out playing."

Mrs Hartley said the group, which has a billiard table and has just been donated a Nintendo Wii and TV, was investigating meeting at a local school but was concerned the only other option was somewhere away from the estate.

However, Keith Hobson, the community association's secretary, said the association pulled out of mediation after seeing a list which included dozens of issues submitted by Lighthouse.

He said the association had struggled with the group because they did not want to pay rent for setting up times at the hall and were not willing to keep to specified times.

He said: "If we can find someone who is prepared to work with us and accept we have got rules, which are not rigid, we are flexible, we will do it."

Mr Hobson pointed out that organisations including WANDS children's centre, the Women's education agency, Turning point, and a local Darts group all used the hall without problems.

Coun Seabourne said: "I think it's a tragedy that two organisations with so much to offer Westlands can't find a way to work together."