AN appeal has gone out for help to save a disabled persons rally.

Durham County Council had agreed to bus 150 disabled people to Kennington Hall, Willington, for the event on the Queen's golden jubilee weekend.

But the authority has told Durham County Association for the Disabled that it does not have enough drivers.

Marie Ward, of the association, said the rally, which takes place every six months, could be cancelled unless more drivers are found.

She said: "The council has let us down right at the last minute.

"People from disabled organisations all over the North-East were coming to the rally, which might have to be cancelled now.

"We have been doing these get-togethers since 1955, and it is such a shame that it looks like we will have to break with tradition this year.

"I would like to appeal to anyone who can help us save the event."

In the past, the council has provided transport for the event free of charge.

However, this year it said the charity would have to pay for the service. Then, later, it withdrew the offer to provide transport.

A Durham County Council spokesman said: "A unique combination of circumstances came together this year which made it impossible to recruit as many volunteer drivers as usual to transport people to the rally in June."

He said that the fact that most of the council's day care centres were now open at weekends was partly to blame for the problem.

In addition, new legislation had been passed which only allows drivers to work a limited number of hours each week.

The spokesman said some drivers were taking holidays over the weekend, and a number were on long-term sick leave.

"We very much regret any difficulties that these circumstances may have caused," he said.