A CAMPAIGN has been launched to save a mental health helpline, which is due to close at the end of the month.

Users are appealing to GPs to help fight the closure of the Derwentside Mental Health Crisis Line, which costs tax-payers about £60,000 a year.

The helpline is run by mental health group Derwentside Mind and Durham County Council social services. The group had wanted to take on the new countywide service, which will be run by Sunderland charity Mental Health Matters.

One 16-year-old girl from the Derwentside district has sent two poems to GPs asking for their support keeping the crisis line open. One poem, called Goodbye, read: "The dreadful nights without anyone to talk to, I now picture in my mind."

A woman from the Grove estate in Consett has helped form the Mind Action Group to help save the service. In a letter to the GPs she said she has suffered panic attacks and agoraphobia for 20 years and claims the counsellors have helped her conquer her fears.

She said: "I am begging you on behalf of the people of Derwentside to give support and try to save this service."

A spokesman for Derwentside Mind said the organisation dealt with about 275 calls a month, even though the district has a relatively small population of under 90,000.

A spokesman for Durham council, which organised the tendering process for the new service along with the County Durham health authorities, said counsellors at the crisis line would be able to transfer to Mental Health Matters.

He said: "The leader of the council has been to visit the Derwentside group and acknowledged they had done a good job. We expect the new service to be up and running on April 1 as planned."