A charity which designs and makes clothes for disabled people is making a desperate plea to Bradford businesses to save it from closure.

Friends of Fashion Services for Disabled People, based in Baildon, will close if funds can't be found.

The charity, which has 200 customers in Bradford and 500 nationwide, needs to find new premises and £70,000 a year to continue its service.

Chairman of the charity's trustees Hazel Howard said: "The service makes a huge difference to people's lives, not only the users of the clothes but their carers.

"They feel they can dress in a way they have chosen to. Very often people have to dress in whatever is easiest."

It designs and manufactures clothing at a subsidised price, whether it be a uniform, business suit or even a wedding dress.

The four members of staff do everything from taking the order and designing the pattern to creating the clothes. They use their skills to combat difficulties, such as creating an opening for a colostomy bag.

May McNally, from Great Horton, buys clothes for her grandson Oliver, 12.

Oliver has Angelman Syndrome, a genetic condition characterised by jerky limb movements, seizures and severe motor and intellectual retardation which means he suffers from incontinence, fits and cannot speak or feed himself.

Mrs McNally buys vests with front fastenings which help his mother dress and change him and bibs which collect his saliva so he does not get infections.

She said: "There is nowhere else you can get anything to fit Oliver. It is such an important thing for people who have children like Oliver. Nothing is too much trouble for them. They transformed his life."

But despite hiring a fundraiser for the first time in its history, the charity is desperately struggling for funds.

A £30,000-a-year grant from the Northern Rock Foundation has ended and the charity will have to use reserves to continue past March.

Mrs Howard will be writing to the top 100 business in Bradford asking for their help and the charity has also approached 200 local charitable trusts.

It has also written to customers asking them to raise funds and has submitted a bid to the lottery under its Awards for All scheme.

If anybody can assist the charity, they should call (01274) 597487.