DISABLED people in High Wycombe will suffer after a helpline service was told to quit its premises, say volunteers, The DIAL High Wycombe advice line which has served thousands of residents in its 25-year lifetime is being evicted by Buckinghamshire County Council.

Its volunteers claim that the move could rob the area of its only dedicated helpline for disabled residents.

Ray South, one of DIAL High Wycombe's four volunteers, has critisised the council for not showing any compassion for the helpline.

After the eviction, which was sanctioned at a Wycombe County Court hearing, Mr South said: "The council don't care,. After all the years we've put in helping people. Last year they withdrew our funding for no spec-ific reason. Now we've finally been told to go."

"The local community is going to suffer we're the last helpline for disabled people in the area."

The High Wycombe branch of DIAL the Disablement Information and Advice Line operates from a room next to the Family Centre in Richardson Street West, High Wycombe, where volunteers man phones from 10am until 3pm every Tuesday and Thursday.

It has used the room, which is part of the council-owned Family Centre, thanks to an informal arrangement with the council that has lasted for more than a decade.

However, the council decided that the Family Centre needs more space and the helpline must leave.

But when the volunteers persisted in using the room after the end of the notice period last September, the council launched legal proceedings, accusing the helpers of trespassing.

District judge Chris Derbyshire sided with the council at the hearing on June 23 and ordered the service to vacate the premises within 28 days.

Mr South conceded that the council were legally in the right with their claim, but insisted it was a matter of principle.

"The agreement was that we could have the building for as long as we wanted," he said.

"We can't dispute that they have a legal right to throw us out, but we've got nowhere else to go nowhere at all."

"We think they want to put filing cabinets in there instead of a charity that's literally helped thousands of people over the years."

He urged any residents who have been helped by the advice line to complain to Buckinghamshire County Council.

Mohammed Sayed, a legal executive for the county council, said the council had no choice but to take the civil action.

He added: "It's a very hard decision and we have not taken it lightly. They are desperate for accommodation at the Family Centre and need that room. We are very sorry this has had to happen what can you do."

DIAL UK head office was unable to comment.

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