SHOPPERS dug deep into their pockets on Saturday to help save Darlington's crisis-hit football club.

More than £1,100 was collected by Darlington Supporters' Trust from shoppers in the town's Cornmill Centre.

Administrators have warned the club will fold next month unless a bumper crowd turns out for the next home league game, against Rochdale, on January 31.

The trust is pulling out all the stops to raise as much money as possible.

It is holding a meeting tomorrow to officially launch its fundraising campaign. Members want to raise £250,000 by the end of March -the amount owed to the Inland Revenue.

Tony Taylor, of the trust, said: "We were really pleased with the amount raised on Saturday.

"It demonstrates the community in Darlington is right behind the campaign."

The trust hopes it can increase its membership at the meeting, which takes place in the town's Dolphin Centre at 7.30pm, from 400 to 1,000.

Mr Taylor said representatives from other clubs who have had trust involvement and ownership will be there.

He said: "We want to convince people that we can do this. We think it is absolutely vital that we get a big turnout on Tuesday.

"Supporter involvement is the thing we think will save the football club."

Administrators David Elliott and David Field, of insolvency practitioners Wilson Field, said on Friday that the club owed about £20.5m, including £15m former chairman George Reynolds said he was owed for money he has loaned the club.

l The trust would like any volunteers able to help out at tomorrow's meeting to attend a meeting at 7.30pm tonight in the Red Lion, Darlington.

Anyone who missed the trust membership form in The Northern Echo last week can log on to www.thisisthenortheast.co. uk/sport/football to download a copy.