Blind and elderly users of a threatened day centre went to City Hall to hand in a protest petition.

People who use the Greenhill Leeds Road Day Centre are fighting moves by Bradford Council to pull the plug on their scheme.

Social services officials, who approached the community church five years ago to ask them to provide day care, are now proposing to axe its funding and transfer the service to another local church, the Thornbury Centre.

Users of Greenhill, and Baptist minister Louise Dickinson who is the centre's co-ordinator, have launched a spirited campaign to keep it going.

A five-strong party put their point of view to councillors on the services to older people and succeeded in winning a stay of execution. Councillors will now visit Greenhill before making a decision on its future.

The petitioners also have the backing of Bradford North MP Terry Rooney.

Louise Dickinson, who is the co-ordinator of the centre, said: "We were initially approached by social services to provide day care, and the people who use the day centre are disadvantaged, vulnerable people.

"Two are registered blind, two are partially sighted, one has multiple sclerosis and one lady is paralysed after a stroke.

"For day care to be removed will be a great disappointment to them and will cause great distress."

She said special activities put on at the centre on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays included braille dominoes, extra large playing cards, quizes, bingo and crafts including crafts tailored to the needs of people who were not very dextrous.

"We have gained the trust of people in this area - we have proven ourselves, which is perhaps something other organisations haven't yet done," she added. The Reverend Robin Ellis, superintendent minister in charge of eight local churches, added: "The small congregation at Greenhill set their cap on being a support to the local community, and there are 16 groups that use the little church.

"We are not as attractive as the brand new building up the road, but I wonder if there's a moral obligation - we were approached to set up this venture, we have done it.

"Is it right to change the care the people have been receiving at our place and make them move on?"

Keith Holdsworth, who is registered blind and one of the regular users of the Greenhill centre, told members of the committee: "I think it should be kept open."

The chairman of the committee, Councillor Peter Lancaster, promised a decision within six weeks.

"I'll be visiting the centre and discussing the points you have raised, and asking for a more detailed report, before reaching a decision," he said.

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