CHARITY bosses fear a lack of funding will force them to turn away people seeking help to cope with mounting debts.

Support services in the region are bracing themselves for an influx of clients struggling to cope with debts accrued over Christmas.

They say funding from local councils, financial institutions and the National Lottery is not enough to cope with the huge demands placed on their services.

Jean Wooler, of the Hambleton Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB), in North Yorkshire, said: "We cannot get the money we need and we can only help people in dire need. We will have to turn people away.

"As we are a rural district, we are not seen as a priority area and we cannot get any funding from the National Lottery for a debt relief worker."

In Middlesbrough, there is a year-round debts problem and CAB workers have seen consumer spending rise to astronomical levels in recent years.

Debt specialist Linda Smith, said: "Now, it is not uncommon for people to come to us with debts of £130,000 just on loans and credit cards.

"The situation is at crisis point, which is partly a result of irresponsible lending by retailers and loan companies."

Bishop Auckland CAB manager, Peter Singer, said funding was "wholly inadequate" to cope with the escalating problems.

He said: "The problem with debt is growing and it is putting a strain on our services.

"This is something we have not experienced before, as in previous years there has always been a lull before Christmas.

"We have recently been given the funding for a new debt advice worker, which is good news, but it is not enough.

"We don't want to turn people away, but it is inevitable because we can't meet all demand.

"The situation will only get worse."