Highbridge: The Zone Youth Club may reopen thanks to local charity

Children and young people at the youth club said they were "really happy" it may reopen

A youth club that closed its doors due to a lack of volunteers may reopen.

The Zone Youth Club in Highbridge, Somerset, starting running after-school sessions in 2015 for £1 and was forced to shut on Tuesday.

But the club's future could be saved as local charity In Charley's Memory has stepped in and said it is in the process of taking it over.

The charity's CEO, Dawn Carey, said the plan is in its early days, adding: "Hopefully we can make it happen".

She added that she could potentially reopen the club within two months but "that is really pushing hard every single day".

Brandon Kelleher used to attend The Zone as a child and now volunteers

Brandon Kelleher, who attended the club when he was a child and became a volunteer as an adult, said he is "really happy".

"I am happy for the children that they are going to continue going to the club," he said.

Jasmine, one of the club's users, added: "That means we get to keep coming and we do not have to miss out on anything and we can see our friends."

In Charley's Memory was set up after Charley Marks, from Burnham-on-Sea, took his own life at 18-years-old in 2014.

The charity provides more than 200 children and young people with mental health and wellbeing support.

The Zone, which was set up by the Somerset Rural Project, was attended by more than 30 children aged 10 to 11 and was taken over by parent volunteers in 2016.

Ms Carey told the BBC it made "complete sense to us to offer to do what we can to save the club".

"Although we have every intention to save The Zone we just have to do all the legalities right now," she said.

"Where we are at the moment is dotting the i's and crossing the t's."