A Shipley Scouts pack has called on the community to help it buy a disused church building to use as its base.

Andrew Manley, group scout leader at 1st Shipley (Windhill) Scouts, said the group, which saw membership dwindle to a dozen six years ago, has now hugely increased in size, and has more than 100 members.

The group currently holds its sessions at Windhill Community Centre and Windhill Primary School, but space and activities available are limited.

Mr Manley said: “Scouting here locally is alive and kicking. We have reached capacity in the Beavers section and we can’t increase on that because of the space that we have.”

He said the group was looking for a permanent base and wanted to buy St Anthony’s Church which went on sale in May after a merger of Bradford’s parishes left it empty.

At a public meeting, Mr Manley said: “The building is available for hire or purchase and we want to do that. We believe it is feasible, manageable with help and sustainable as well.

“We cannot do it alone. This is a call to action, we need to rent the building for five years to raise the £250,000 needed to purchase it.”

Scout group chairman David Bryan said at the moment the Windhill scouts’ activities were restricted by space.

He said: “There must be dozens of people out there who have been through Windhill Scout group who might just be prepared to send us a fiver or even £500.”

Councillor Vanda Greenwood (Lab, Windhill and Wrose) said: “This is a really, really good opportunity for the children in Windhill.”

Anyone wanting to donate time, money, or skills can e-mail andrew@1scouting.freeserve.co.uk.