Health bosses have given a cash-strapped healthy living centre a stay of execution by providing stop-gap funding.

Caf West in Allerton had feared it would have to close its doors when its funding runs out on March 31.

But Bradford South and West Primary Care Trust has stepped in with a last-minute grant which will enable it to keep its healthy living activities going for the next three months.

The PCT has also seconded a worker to the centre to help out and given funding to Highfield Healthy Living Centre, in Tong Street, which is also facing a funding crisis.

The centres provide a range of services to tackle key health priorities such as obesity, physical activity, nutrition and stopping smoking, all of which help to prevent coronary heart disease and cancer, diseases which are the biggest killers in Bradford.

Ruth Lindsey, business co-ordinator at Caf West, said the centre was waiting for Bradford Vision to make a decision about whether they would be providing funding through the strategic health improvement partnerships.

She said: "A decision was promised in December but it could be May now. Bradford South and West Primary Care Trust stepped in and gave us three months funding which takes us until the end of June.

"We are really living hand-to-mouth and if it was not for the PCT we would be out of business by the end of the month."

In 2001 the Government awarded £1 million to each of the eight Healthy Living Projects across the Bradford district.

Many of the projects, which already had a community base, spent the cash on a five-year funding plan. But Caf West spent three-quarters of the cash on building a centre especially designed to cater for the needs of the community.

The remainder of the money was enough to keep the centre going until the end of this month. Now other sources of funding are being desperately sought. "We are applying for grants from other places," said Mrs Lindsey. "Bradford Health Developments Partnership is fighting hard to get the money for us but it really feels like no one else cares."

The centre has generated £30,000 through its own ventures, such as the community caf, room hire and charging £1 for dance and yoga classes.

Up to 350 people use the centre each week for community and health-related activities. "It would be devastating to the local community if we closed," said Mrs Lindsey.

A spokesman for the PCT said: "We feel that it is important to maintain the excellent work being done by our healthy living centres.

"Working in close partnership with the PCT, the centres offer real value to the communities they serve by providing support to patients which goes much further than traditional health services.

"Because of this we feel it important to continue to support them while their funding is uncertain."