SCOUT leaders in Salford Priors are looking at ways to prevent the closure of one of their groups after an appeal for volunteers failed.

Scout leader Malcolm Spriggs appealed before Christmas for volunteers to come forward to replace leaders who are due to retire this year.

He said unless local people offered to take on the role, one of their groups, most likely the cubs, would be forced to close at Easter.

Despite his appeal, no volunteers came forward and Mr Spriggs is now consulting his existing team of eight leaders about ways around the problem.

Mr Spriggs said some leaders were approaching retirement and others were under pressure with work commitments so new volunteers were desperately needed to guide the 80 youngsters in their weekly activities at the scout hut.

There are currently eight leaders for the beavers, scouts and two cubs groups, with parents sometimes lending a hand.

But Mr Spriggs said the trend of parents getting involved with the groups and then becoming leaders has vanished because of work commitments and no new volunteers have come forward for some time.

He said there used to be only female leaders in the cubs and now there are no female leaders in the group.

Mr Spriggs said: "No new volunteers came forward after my last appeal so we are now looking at new ways of operating, which the current leaders will be considering over the next couple of weeks."

He added that scouting would be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2007 and it would be a shame to mark the occasion with the closure of one of the groups in Salford Priors.

Anyone who would like information on becoming a volunteer leader should contact Mr Spriggs on 01789 773063.