HOSTILITY and personal attacks could be driving Saltburn volunteers away from community work.

This was the warning from a long-term volunteer in the wake of a nightmare week for the Saltburn improvement company. Directors are being urged to face questions from townspeople.

A forum of residents and councillors on Monday decided the SIC should call a public meeting to answer fears and concerns about its affairs. The move followed a week of controversy and recriminations sparked by the resignation of co-ordinator Mr Jack Chester.

But SIC secretary Mrs Joan Guy said the board had been going to call a public meeting anyway and this would be held as soon as possible.

She said the directors were pig sick of the hostility being directed at them. "I have been a volunteer in this town for 25 years and there have been times recently when I have thought about giving it all up," she said.

Mrs Guy said only one scheme was outstanding from the SIC's programme - the sea front building: "We will see that through." She issued a full statement on the improvement company: see page 5.

The town forum was chaired by ward Coun Barbara Harpham who said: "No impropriety has been alleged but the people of the town don't know what's going on."

Addressing the meeting, Mr Chester told residents there had not been enough cash in the kitty for the Valley Gardens' artists' studios scheme. "All the cash was going to the sea front building. The improvement company is in chaos. That is one reason I resigned."

Coun Harpham said she had been concerned about several aspects of SIC's work and attended board meetings until she was discouraged.

Mr Chester, the third chairman in recent months, said he was told not to speak to the Press about SIC activities.

One resident asked: "How much has been spent? What on and how much is left?"

Mr Chester said £2.4m was promised in grants. "A lot has gone on the sea front development. A lot has been held back. And just over £1.2m has been spent. The company tried to achieve too much, but in 11 months did a lot of work. Then things got bogged down. By last summer it was clear things had gone wrong.

"But the books are perfect." He said the money had been spent on projects, training, studies and marketing with £360,000 on the sea front building