KIND-HEARTED volunteers have come to the rescue of a Cotswold centre for the handicapped after its regular drivers were told they were too old to get insurance.

Four people, aged from 31 to 64, came forward this week after the Centre for the Handicapped North Cotswolds issued an urgent appeal for younger volunteers to drive its minibus ambulance.

It had been feared that from December 8, when the current insurance expires, wheelchair users from Bourton, Stow and Moreton would not have been able to be taken to the Bourton centre for their Tuesday craft and social get-togethers.

Cyril Edwards, chairman of the trustees of the centre, said: "Our insurers, who we have used for 18 years, have now decided they can no longer insure us because they have transferred their underwriters to Churchill, which only insures private cars.

"We looked around for other insurers and the only policy we were able to find has an upper age limit of 65."

As all but one of the centre's regular drivers is over 75, the situation looked bleak.

"Some people who live alone don't have many visitors and wouldn't see outside their four walls if it weren't for their weekly visit to the centre," said Mr Edwards, who at 80 has, until now, been a regular ambulance driver for the centre.

Following last week's appeal, however, four people - three women and a man - have volunteered, meaning that from the new year the centre, which is to be renamed the Naight Club, will be able to provide a full service for its clients, who are mainly elderly.

"While there was a big question mark hanging over the ambulance we can now bring people in wheelchairs as we have always done," said a delighted Mr Edwards.

"It's a nice way to end the year."

The centre's only current driver under 65, Sue Roberts, will carry on driving on her own up until the new year.