ELDERLY residents of a housing association complex have launched a fundraising drive in an attempt to stop their communal hub being demolished.

Residents of Priory Close and Byland Avenue, in Northallerton, said they aimed to raise up to £10,000 by next October to convince Broadacres Housing Association that their common room was financially viable.

The centre is a venue for regular bingo, meals, bowls and coffee morning events for the residents and hosts a group for people suffering from Alzheimer's disease twice a week.

Residents believe the common room could be rented out to a wide variety of groups to boost its income and are working alongside Broadacres to increase its usage.

Speaking at the campaign launch event, a Christmas fair, residents said they feared becoming housebound, bored and lonely if the common room closed.

Edwina Robertson, 78, said while residents understood Broadacres needed to cover their costs and that demolishing it and building two bungalows on the site was a possible option, generations of residents had treasured their time at the centre.

She said she had depended on the common room as a social outlet since the death of her husband, William.

Mrs Robertson said: "When you are on your own it is somewhere to go, it gives you something to look forward to.

"There is nothing like it in this area and is close enough for the very elderly residents to get to."

Her neighbour, Joyce Ellis, said: "It keeps you occupied and I don't want to finish up with Alzheimer's, I want to keep going."

Fellow resident Anne Newman added they would be keen to hear from any groups seeking a venue.

She said: "It is upsetting for everybody here to think it could close, I would be really lost."

A spokesman for Broadacres, which has discussed the issue with Northallerton Town and Hambleton District councils and Age UK North Yorkshire, said: "We are working with the community trying to help them get the best out of the facility and increase the income, and we will review the situation again in 12 months.”