A PLAYGROUP could be forced to close after 33 years if church leaders go ahead with plans to sell land where a community hall is based.

Organisers of St James's playgroup, in Romanby, near Northallerton, fear they could be left with nowhere to go after their local church revealed plans to raise extra cash.

The group rents the church hall from St James's Church to provide activities for 70 youngsters, five days a week.

Organisers are alarmed by plans for the land to be sold to finance disabled ramps at the church.

Chairman of the St James's playgroup committee, Pauline Newcombe, said: "We have had notice from the church that they have instructed solicitors to investigate the possibility of getting planning permission for the site where St James's hall stands.

"If they do close it down, it is going to mean the playgroup has to find alternative accommodation and we have started doing that already.

"We don't know when it is going to happen, but whether it is going to be in six months or a few years, we would rather make a move now than be faced with it at short notice."

Mrs Newcombe said that the situation meant staff were not sure what their future held.

"The staff are quite concerned about it, because it is their jobs we are talking about," she said.

The hall is also used by other community groups, including yoga classes, an operatic society and the Mothers' Union.

The Reverend Canon Ian Fox, vicar of Northallerton, said: "We are considering the future of that spot of land, and that was a warning to the playgroup that they should perhaps be thinking about their own future.

"We haven't made any decisions. We are just examining the idea at the moment, but we feel the site is suffering quite a bit from vandalism, and neighbours have also been suffering."

Anyone who can provide accommodation, with storage space, for the playgroup can contact Mrs Newcombe on (01609) 774684.