VOLUNTEERS from Stanley are needed to help a Chester-le-Street charity shop with a staffing crisis.

The number of volunteers at Oxfam's shop in Front Street has dropped to a critical level - at the moment they barely have enough staff to keep the doors open.

Alan Christian, an Oxfam manager drafted in to help with the staffing crisis in Chester-le-Street, said yesterday: "I believe that people from Stanley can get to the shop quite quickly and they will be warmly welcomed as volunteers with us.

"We'll refund all their travelling costs, of course."

Mr Christian said that he urgently needs six new volunteers to work on the till and also to sort and price items of clothing.

Anyone interested in the vacancies should ring 0191-387 1383.