A GYMNASTICS club which should be planning celebrations for its silver jubilee is facing closure unless it can find more volunteers.

Bishop Auckland Gymnastic Club has been training youngsters for almost 25 years.

Now the club, which has long waiting lists for its sessions, could be forced to close unless it can find two new coaches.

The club has three coaches, who between them train 35 children from the ages of five to 14.

But two of the coaches, including founder Gill Shea, are retiring in July and replacements have not been found.

The remaining coach, Sarah Navin, 31, said the club has launched a desperate search for volunteers to keep the club going.

She said: "Ideally we would like someone who is qualified, but that does not matter because the club will be able to pay to train someone. We just want someone who can give a regular commitment.

"It would be awful to see the club close. It is the last thing we want, but we really haven't got an alternative unless someone comes forward."

Miss Navin said the club, which is held at Bishop Barrington School, concentrated on getting its youngsters to enjoy gymnastics as a sport, rather than go in for gruelling training.

She said: "We don't work at that level. It is just a recreation club, purely for enjoyment. We do enter competitions, but the kids don't have to compete if they don't want to. But if they want to go on, we have passed people on to the bigger clubs.''

The club is holding a reunion to celebrate its 25th anniversary on July 18, at Bishop Barrington School.

Miss Navin said: "We thought it would be nice for past members to come and have a look at what the children are doing. But if we cannot get anybody to come forward it could be our last night."

Anyone who would like to visit the club when it meets on Friday nights, or who thinks they would like to try coaching, can contact Miss Navin on (01388) 663676