YMCA Warrington looks set to be forced to close within months after 160 years in the town because of 'disastrous' funding cuts from the council.

Resources totalling £38,000 a year are set to be withdrawn from April 1.

The money has been used for eight years to finance a health worker and help deliver 'healthy living and substance misuse' programmes.

But following a review money will be distributed to other areas, although the YMCA, which has a base on Winmarleigh Street, said it was only informed of the changes one week before Christmas.

YMCA celebrated its 160th year in the town last year but manager Susan Blyth is now preparing for the centre's 'greatest challenge' to date.

She said: "If we don't have funding we will inevitably struggle to deliver services.

"Without it, we will only be able to stay open for three more months – after that the YMCA will have to close.

"Service users are fearing the future. We do make a difference to people's lives but we may be facing the end.

"We provide frontline services to often meet the needs of marginalised, isolated and homeless people but now this support is being taken from us and we are struggling to obtain other grants."

The town centre site will close its doors next week from Monday, February 15, to Friday between 9am to 5pm and will direct people to other relevant services to enable them to plan for the future.

It will be open from 5pm to 10pm for emergencies.

The centre supports hundreds of people each week, with some users labelling the cuts as 'disastrous'.

After the contract expires on March 31, the council anticipates services will be delivered through its own Housing Plus team, wellbeing services and CRI Pathways.

The authority said the restructure will allow service providers to 'reach and support more vulnerable people' with specific health issues.

Cllr Maureen McLaughlin, executive member for public health and wellbeing, confirmed the move is being carried out to help bridge the £22 million gap in the 2016-17 budget.

"As with any third party contract, we carry out regular reviews to ensure that we are offering the right services to the right people and ensuring best value for taxpayers," she said.

"Our priority is meeting the needs of vulnerable people.

"In reviewing this contract we have been mindful of the need to reach a wider group of people presenting at risk of homeless to our Housing Plus team, including young people and families who would not see the YMCA as their first port of call.

"We have been very clear that we want to identify any individuals who may currently be accessing support from the YMCA to ensure that they are able to access suitable provision."

For further information or to donate to the YMCA call 632771 or e-mail warringtonymca@btconnect.com