SCHOOLS, hospitals and community fund-raising organisations in Bolton are set to benefit with the launch of a new legal scheme.

Fieldings Porter, on Silverwell Street, is a founding member of Community Claims -- a network of personal injury lawyers throughout England and Wales which is "fed up" with the industry's ambulance-chasing image. Under the new scheme, donations will be made to local good causes chosen by the accident victims.

Peter Cunliffe, solicitor at Fieldings Porter, said: "The idea of making a personal injury claim has developed into an industry with everybody trying to take a cut.

"We joined Community Claims because we wanted to change all that by getting back to a system where local people would go to a local lawyer.

"By way of a 'thank you' for supporting a local business, it seemed fair that we should be prepared to put something back into the community. So every time we take a case on, we will pay £50 to a local good cause -- chosen by the client -- and a separate £25 into a schools fund, which we will distribute on a regular basis.

"The whole Community Claims movement also pays £20 into a national fund for each accepted case, which means that each year we will be able to make larger donations to deserving causes."

Partner Andrew McLoughlin added: "Obviously, the more people who use the scheme the more money we will raise. We want to make it clear that the payments are being made in return for people supporting our business."

Information packs can be obtained by ringing Freephone 0800 542 003.