A Keighley health project for the elderly has closed down through lack of funding.

The Senior Health Awareness Project (SHAPE) declared its demise at a crowded annual meeting earlier this week.

The forced closure was immediately branded a scandal by local fundraiser David Samuels, a leading light of the "save SHAPE" campaign.

After a three-year lottery grant ran out in March the project has been unable to secure further funding. Bradford council provided £6,000 interim funding, but over recent months staff have had wage cuts and worked voluntary hours.

The remainder of paid staff will be made redundant over the coming weeks and SHAPE's Temple Street building is being put on the market.

Retired nurse Mollie Jones, who founded SHAPE in 1990, yesterday spoke of her disappointment. "Over the years we have provided a unique service in this town for older men and women. The care of over 200 elderly people has been cast aside," she says.

Mollie says SHAPE pioneered initiatives that have now been taken on board by the Government through its Health Action Zones.

She says SHAPE has helped many bereaved people recover and has helped more than 1,000 people come off tranquillisers and sleeping pills.

She adds: "I feel very sad that SHAPE has ended in this way. We're very proud of what has been achieved. I feel nervous about the welfare of people deprived of their support by an excellent service."

Over 60 angry and disappointed pensioners attended Tuesday's meeting, where they were told that health sessions will be cut to one a week until closure.

But vice-chairman and social secretary Eileen Lynn said: "This is not the end of SHAPE -- maybe the name -- but SHAPE in its form will be carrying on. Plans are in hand for starting a new group with new money."

But there was a great deal of anger that SHAPE itself has had to close.

Member Jean Blackburn said: "I think it's a disgrace we can't have money from somewhere, that no one's lifted a finger to help us.

"It's a diabolical disgrace Bradford Met can't find a penny piece to help us."

Keighley South Cllr John Prestage defended Bradford's role saying: "Bradford has one of the best records throughout the country for what we give the voluntary sector. That's OK if you're getting it."

Most of this money, though, he said, came from the lottery or SRB in the first place -- something SHAPE had already received and used.

Philip Baldwin, responsible for grants to the voluntary sector from Bradford council, said the council had looked at buying the building. But with the SRB already owning £22,000- worth of the building this was not possible. No more funding was available.

It was suggested that SHAPE members find some facilities which are funded and shared them. Members pledged to find a way of carrying on without facilities.

Former Oxenhope shopkeeper David Samuels, who spearheaded efforts to keep SHAPE open, lays blame for the closure firmly on Bradford council. "It means a severe loss to the elderly people in Keighley. It should never have happened. Bradford did not recognise there was a need for such an organisation in this area," he says.

Keith Bell, advice officer with Keighley Disabled People's Centre, in Temple Row, says former SHAPE members will be welcome at activities run by his organisation.

But Mr Samuels warned that SHAPE had 200 members and there were not enough facilities in Keighley to cater for them all. He says several other groups, such as a Stroke Club, which used SHAPE's premises, now have nowhere to meet.