A CRUCIAL advice service for disabled people is being closed down because of funding cuts, disappointed organisers said yesterday.

The Scarborough and District Disablement action group, which has been operating since 1995, will fold at the end of this week.

The centre, based in Scarborough, offered people advice on the safety of wheelchairs, lifts and adapted equipment.

Bridget Hardy, manager of the action group, said closure was due to a cut in funding from North Yorkshire social services directorate.

"The service offered important, unbiased and useful advice to disabled people and their carers. It was well used by disabled and older people, carers and other professionals," she said. "To maintain the service we would need £16,000 of funding per year and we cannot afford to spend time raising this money.

"We already have to spend time raising money to maintain our centre for benefits and housing advice."