A LIBRARY will be offering help and advice to the blind and partially sighted later this month.

An information display will be set up at Durham Clayport Library, Millennium Place, Claypath, Durham, on Saturday by the County Durham Society for the Blind and Partially Sighted.

Visually impaired people will be able to find out about services including befriending schemes, talking newspapers and community support as well as get information on equipment for them.

Linda Curtis of the society said: "We'd like to raise awareness of how common blindness is among elderly people as well as the services we provide and our need to recruit volunteers to provide those services. In County Durham there are over 3,500 people registered blind and partially sighted.

"One in 60 of the UK's population has a visual impairment and eight out of ten of these are over 60 years old.''

The free event will run from 11am to 2pm in the lending library.