A PLEA is being made for Worcestershire County Council to step in and save a women's protection centre from closure.

Its leader Councillor Simon Geraghty is being urged to draw up emergency budget plans for Asha, the Worcester-based rescue centre due to close this month.

Councillor Richard Udall, who chairs County Hall's opposition Labour group, has called its impending closure "catastrophic" and wants a rescue plan put together to save the day.

He has also linked it to the recent cuts in children's centre funding in Worcestershire, saying vulnerable people facing losing a vital outpost for support.

The suggestion comes just weeks before a crucial February vote on the council's 2017/18 budget.

As the Worcester News revealed just after Christmas the centre, in Checketts Lane, says it will close at the end of this month due to a lack of grant funding.

It is ran by volunteers and costs between £300,000 and £350,000 to run each year, but sources of money have declined amid the austerity squeeze.

Cllr Udall says the site cannot be allowed to shut given its support for women struggling with domestic violence, financial problems and depression.

"The closure of the Asha Centre, coming so soon after cuts to children's centres is a cut too far," he said.

"I know from first hand experience of the great work the staff and volunteers do to help women and their families, it's loss would be catastrophic for the city.

"Politicians from across the political spectrum cannot simply say 'what a shame' and shrug their shoulders - we have to intervene, and intervene quickly."

He has called for "emergency talks" with the centre's board to see how fresh resources can be found to keep it going.

A full council meeting is taking place at County Hall this Thursday where Councillor Geraghty will be asked to respond formally to a question on it.

In the question the site's impending loss has been described as "devastating", with Cllr Udall saying it will "leave vulnerable families and children with reduced support".

The net council's net budget for 2017/18 is £316 million, but includes around £29 million in savings - a record sum.

Council tax is expected to rise almost three per cent from April, with around £4 million of the money raised from it being pumped into adult social care.

The meeting on Thursday gets underway from 10am.