WORK has started to transform the headquarters of the Samaritans in Darlington to help the charity cope with an increase in calls for help.

Last year, the Darlington branch of the national charity was contacted by 23,000 people, either by telephone, letter or by visiting its centre on Woodland Road.

This was a record number and an increase of 3,000 on the previous year.

Now to expand its service, the Darlington branch is to go online so people can express their feelings by email.

The spokesman said: "91 Samaritans branches are now involved in email befriending and Darlington volunteers are keen to become involved in this exciting means of communication with callers.

"Volunteers will need careful training to respond to callers who choose to contact us in this way, but once online we anticipate that caller contacts will increase even more."

Once the charity is online, it has pledged to receive 1,500 emails within three years.

It is hoped the charity will go online as part of extensive refurbishment taking place at the Woodland Roads centre.

Last year, the charity was awarded more than £166,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund to update its building.

The money, with a contribution from the charity, will be used for various projects including making the centre more assessable to the elderly and disabled.

New colours and tactile surfaces will also be used to make it easier for the visually impaired to use the centre.

Once the work is done, the charity has pledged to respond to 30 more calls from the elderly and disabled and increase the number of disabled and elderly volunteers to 25 in three years.

Also included in the plan, which was announced at the charity's annual meeting last week, will be a parking area for visitors and volunteers.

The total cost of the refurbishment is £178,345, including money for equipment and a base for the charity to operate from while the work is being done.

Architects have started work on the design of the building and the charity hopes construction will start by mid-May, with the new centre open within six months.

* The Samaritans service in Darlington received most of its calls last year in the early hours of the morning.

* 19 per cent of callers to the Darlington charity last year admitted having suicidal feelings.

* Six per cent of callers to the Darlington branch were under 25. Two per cent were over 65.

* The Darlington Samaritans telephone lines are manned 24 hours a day and can be contacted on 08457 909090.

* People in crisis can also visit the Darlington centre on Woodland Road between 8am and 10pm, or write to: The Samaritans, 13 Woodland Road, Darlington.