FACED with the prospect of having to give up their jobs because of a lack of affordable child care, a group of Skipton mums have banded together to set up their own out of school club.

Two weeks ago the town's Greatwood Community Centre out of school club announced it was closing due to a lack of funding and increasing costs.

Since then parents using the service have had to face the fear that their children would have no where to go after school whilst they finished work.

A steering group of working mums with 12 children between them have joined forces and have been offered a room at Skipton's Christian Fellowship to build their own out of school club

It will be called The Great Kids Club and will start operating from September 5.

Mother-of-three Carol Birtley said an affordable out of school club was essential to her family.

"Other child care is quite expensive and we needed to do something as soon as possible, or we would have to look at giving up our jobs," she said.

She has even had to organise her time off work to coincide with the school holidays because there was no-one to care for her children during the long summer break.

The steering group has received the backing from North Yorkshire Social Services and has applied for emergency funding from it to get up and running.

However members are looking for sponsorship from any other local groups to help maintain the service.

It is expected that The Great Kids Club will be able to cater for about 20 children from 3.30pm to 6pm during term time and all day during the school holidays to start with.

The group has been offered the use of a minibus from social services so that the children could be collected from Greatwood Community School and taken to the room.

If the club proves popular, the bus might be able to collect youngsters from other Skipton schools in the future.

The group is currently trying to engage the services of the staff from the former Greatwood Club to run the new scheme.

Each evening will cost £3.50 per child which will include a snack as well as games, painting, crafts and sports.

Frances Cook, chairman of the Greatwood and Horse Close Community Centre who ran the previous club, said she wished the new scheme well.

"I am sorry that the old club had to close, but if there is anything we can do to help they should just call us," she added.

Anyone who wants to sponsor the club or wishes to enrol their child should contact one of the members of staff on 0788 77131361.