A DISCO has helped to resurrect an ailing youth club in Flackwell Heath and may help to boost Royal British Legion numbers too.

Emma West, 22, of Buckingham Way, Flackwell Heath, set up a monthly disco for 12 to 18-year-olds at the legion hall last year as a way of helping out her former youth club.

Miss West, a Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College media student, is one of the main organisers of Flackwell Heath Residents' Association Youth Club.

Speaking to the Free Press on Monday she said: "I remember going to the youth club between the ages of 13 and 16.

"It went through a bit of a bad patch and at one point we thought it might have to close.

"We held a crisis meeting before Christmas to ask people what they really wanted and they came up with the idea of a disco.

"Now we have about 50 people coming regularly."

Miss West contacted the legion in Flackwell Heath and was offered the use of the hall in Common Road for free. By charging guests a £1 entry fee the club has been able to make around £100, which they have reinvested in the discos, buying mixing equipment to allow older members to gain experience on the decks. The youth club is also developing its links with the Royal British Legion and exploring the possibility of setting up a junior legion membership to allow young people to use the hall for pool matches and as a social centre.

Vice-chairman of the legion George O'Leary said: "There's not a lot of places for young people to go in their spare time in Flackwell Heath.

"We are delighted to be able to offer them our hall and are hopeful of recruiting some younger members at the same time."

Not content with just helping their own members, the club is also manning a stall at the Cherry Fayre in Flackwell Heath on Sunday.

They said they will split the proceeds raised on the day between the discos and the Flackwell Heath Residents' Association charity, which plans to build a skate ramp for skaters and BMX riders in the village.