DESPITE seeing their numbers decimated over the years, Women's Institutes are still proving they are a force to be reckoned with in a North dale.

From ten groups just after the Second World War, the number of WIs in Weardale, County Durham, has shrunk to only five -the latest to close being the institute at Eastgate.

But as one WI vanishes, the membership of those remaining is likely to be strengthened.

Farmer's wife Kathleen Mews, the long-serving secretary of Eastgate WI, said: "We are all obviously very saddened to see the end of the institute at Eastgate after so many years.

"But already some of our members are talking about joining the neighbouring WIs at Stanhope and Westgate."

She said the main reason for the closure of the WI, which had more than 40 members in its heyday in the 1950s, was the fact many mothers were now working.

She said: "We also found that, although we had 22 members, only around nine were turning up for the monthly meetings, and that was not enough to justify the expense of bringing guest speakers on long journeys up the dale."

Mrs Mews, who lives in Stanhope, also said several members lived outside Eastgate and, like herself, would look to join other WIs.

The remaining five WIs in Weardale - at Wolsingham, Frosterley, Stanhope, Westgate and St John's Chapel - have all reported a rise in membership and say they are in good shape.

They have also been flexing their campaigning muscles by meeting the Government's Chief Whip and local MP Hilary Armstrong to voice their protest at the proposed closure of the ambulance station at St John's Chapel.

Ms Armstrong came away from the meeting promising to take on board their concerns.

Evenwood WI member Dorothy Proud, the chairwoman of the Durham County Federation of Women's Institutes, said: "A lot of people do not realise what we do in our own quiet way.

"Although we have lost another WI in Weardale, following on from the closure of Wearhead and Rookhope in recent years, as a county federation we are not losing members.

"In fact, we are working from a stronger and better base than ever.

"The only real problem we face, like other county federations, is not having enough young women joining our ranks.

"But we are working on that."