A YOUTH centre, forced to close its doors to hundreds of children, could be flattened and turned into a football pitch, because of a lack of funds.

Eleventh hour money has not been secured to save the Droitwich Adventure Playground, despite centre boss Dave Spicer and chairman Peter Pinfield lobbying district and county officers for weeks in an attempt to find the funds.

The painful process of removing toys, games and computers from the Westlands based centre has begun, as Wychavon District Council has ordered the site should be completely cleared, if it has no future.

Funding for Mr Spicer, the key community worker at the site for eight-and-a-half years, ends in May when his current grant from Children in Need ends.

Mr Spicer said that because no one was willing to dip into their pockets to provide any extra funding, children on the estate would be left without a centre manager to run a vital "respite" facility.

"I've already begun filling up the skips. It is really painful and extremely upsetting to think the centre has no future after nearly 13 years," said Mr Spicer.

Secure

"This centre is all about the kids, who all need somewhere to go. It is a place where they can feel secure. Now they have nothing at all. It will be sorely missed."

The centre, which had been recently refurbished after acts of vandalism, provided everything from football and short tennis to discos, an after-school homework club and a gardening programme for children to grow their own fruit, veg and flowers.

New computers, a kitchen facility and wash basins were even donated by the public last week to help the centre recover, all making the current clear-up even more painful.

Councillor Peter Pinfield said he was "bitterly disappointed" about the outcome. "It is a very black and bleak day for the youngsters of our town," he said.

A spokesman for Wychavon District Council said funding was very tight and under the terms of the lease the site would have to be cleared if it was closing. He confirmed that flattening the site was a possible option.

"If the Adventure Playground goes there is not a large amount of use for the land. It would be used for the community so it could become a football pitch," he said.

n Opinion P6