A CHARITY is battling a major setback after its planned new premises were declared unsafe.

The team at Vision Aid is appealing to families to be patient after they discovered the new headquarters in Deane needs an entire new roof.

The charity was due to open its office at the large detached house in Junction Road next Wednesday, but builders found severe structural problems in the roof and it could be some time before the building is declared safe.

Vision Aid, which provides support for visually impaired youngsters throughout the country, hopes families will remain patient while the structural work is carried out.

The three-storey house also needs a brand new central heating system as there are not enough heaters in it at the moment to make the rooms warm enough for youngsters to visit. Despite the setbacks, the charity's director general Lesley Green and development officer Jo Welbon are happy with the way the 100-year old house is starting to shape into their dream headquarters.

Lesley said: "Sometimes we wonder why have we done it, but it will save us money eventually and we have secured something for the future."

Jo, who is visually impaired herself, is finding the delay particularly frustrating as her guide dog Natalie is not allowed into the house while it is still officially a "hard-hat" area.

She said: "It is difficult and some of our families are getting frustrated, but we are trying to get everything done as soon as possible and as soon as the ground floor is in a fit state, we will let people come in, but it just wouldn't be safe at the moment."

The team has managed to visit all the families who have been in touch since the charity left its old headquarters in Chorley New Road in December.

It could be at least another two years before every repair and conversion is completed, but people will be able to visit the house before the end of this year and the team's biggest priorities will be creating a welcoming office space and family room.

Renovation work will include making the entire building wheelchair friendly, rewiring, building a new drainage system, repairs to the roof and eventually making use of the one acre of land at the rear of the house.

Anyone who wants to support Vision Aid is urged to buy tickets for the Man of the Year awards ceremony which is being jointly run by the charity, Bolton Wanderers and the mayor.

The event, which is the first of its kind in Bolton, will be held at the Reebok Stadium on Friday May 4. Tickets, priced at £20, are available from the mayor's office.

A fund-raising balloon race will be held at the Reebok on Sunday to mark the last match of the season for Wanderers. Anyone wanting to buy a balloon at a cost of £1 can send their name and address to Vision Aid, 106 Junction Road, Deane, Bolton.