CANCER respite charity TLC has announced it faces closure at the end of May, after facing financial turmoil.

The group helping sufferers of cancer and many other life-threatening illnesses has in the past received £100,000 a year from the National Lottery – but that funding has ceased and not been fully replaced despite help from councillors.

A spokesman said: “TLC has successfully applied and increased smaller grant funding, but there is too large a gap between spend and what can be raised in funds. It was therefore announced by the trustees last month that the charity be wound up, which becomes a reality if TLC closes its doors at the end of May.

“Everyone at TLC is devastated. The lottery funded part-time salaries and paid for therapists to give complementary treatments, apart from running costs and volunteer training.

“We are just so worried about all the people we help. It may be some volunteers will continue to befriend their people – but we are unique in what we do. Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice has also been referring people to us for therapies as they don’t have funding either.

Bordon-based TLC has befriended and supported patients and their family carers throughout East Hampshire, Surrey and parts of Sussex since 2009.