POTENTIAL users of a new service to replace a charity, which has closed, are being urged to join an independent panel of advisors.

Gordon Pybus of Darlington Association on Disability hopes the panel will become a useful tool in the development of Ring-a-Ride, the replacement to Dial-a-Ride, which closed last week.

Darlington Borough Council and the Darlington and District Youth and Community Association (DDYCA) have teamed up to provide the replacement service.

Ring-a-Ride will cover the same hours as its predecessor to give users an element of consistency. It will be launched on Monday, March 18. It will be open from 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, but users will also be able to utilise the scheme on weekends by arrangement.

The old service, Dial-a-Ride, closed after hitting financial difficulties due to spiralling petrol and insurance costs, and a reduction in donations from £13,000 in 2000 to £4,000 last year.

The charity contacted the council for help, but when the authority auditors checked the accounts it recommended the finances be investigated by the Charities Commission and informed police.

A spokesman for the Charities Commission said: "We don't have an investigation at this time. We have recently been made aware of issues of concern and are waiting for full details before we decide what action can be taken."

Coun Roderick Burtt, chairman of Dial-A-Ride, said: "I hope very much they will not find anything untoward.

"If there had been even a suspicion of something not quite right, as far as the finances are concerned, we would certainly have contacted the police ourselves."

* Gordon Pybus can be contacted on (01325) 489999.