Northumberland domestic violence service to close
A domestic violence support service in Northumberland will close next month after running out of council funding.
Local charities and an MP have warned that survivors of domestic violence could be at risk as a result.
Cease 24, which offers victims support and advice, had been part-funded by Northumberland County Council.
The service, based in the north of the county, is run by charity Victim Support with a mixture of public donations and local authority funding.
A local charity supporting rape victims, Grace, warned that north Northumberland would have no service for domestic violence survivors as a result of the closure.
Andrea Perrett from Grace said: "Because Cease 24 is only working with high-risk clients, the danger is that these survivors are not going to have support."
Berwick Liberal Democrat MP Sir Alan Beith called on the three agencies to work out a solution.
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Vera Baird said she would not have funding for victims' services until April next year.
The council said it would maintain its current commitment to supporting victims of domestic abuse, despite having to make £32m of savings this year.