CHILDREN'S charity CLOWNS could be forced to scrap its hugely successful summer playschemes after the district council cut its funding by more than a half.

Mother-of-four Sarah Harding pleaded with West Somerset district councillors not to cut the group's grant at Monday's meeting of the council's cabinet.

But members said they had little choice but to reduce CLOWNS' annual grant from £25,000 to just £10,000 as they battled to make savings of some £900,000 between now and 2004.

Unless the funding shortfall can be found elsewhere, the cut effectively signals the end of the popular summer playschemes.

CLOWNS co-ordinator Kathy Morton, pictured with co-workers Nicola Southey and Lisa Malin, said the schemes cost £18,000 a year to run and would be the first to go in the event of cutbacks.

As it was, she was facing additional staffing costs as she was having to employ extra staff to cover her role due to spending more and more time in the office fundraising.

She said she had already spoken to a number of charities, including BBC Children in Need, in the hope of making up the shortfall this year.

But she held out little hope for the district council's claims that more money would be forthcoming from Somerset County Council.

"I'd be very surprised if we get any as they used to help fund us and then that finished.

"While we're very grateful for the funding the district council has given us in the past, we do get worn down by people saying what good work we do but no-one is prepared to fund us," Mrs Morton said.

"Unless we find some funding we won't be running the summer playschemes which will be a great shame as we're the only mobile project in the area and it will leave many communities with absolutely nothing," she said.

Summer playscheme user Mrs Harding said CLOWNS offered her children high quality care, fun and a wide range of learning opportunities.

"The six weeks children have off from school in the summer is a long time for them to have no contact with other children of their own age.

"CLOWNS is able to bring all these children together, helping them to develop social skills and learning through play.

"The children really look forward to it. It also gives parents a break or a chance to go to work," Mrs Harding said.

Last year, the cost of attending summer playschemes was cut thanks to funding from the National Lottery. One session in Watchet attracted 125 children alone.

As well as the playschemes, CLOWNS also provides a playbus, a toy library and scrapstore and organises tumbling toddlers sessions and craft days.

Mrs Morton said it was vital a pot of money was found somewhere.

"We understand the district council is in dire straits and has to make cuts, but we don't want the cost of this to fall back on parents," she said.

At Monday's cabinet meeting, health and welfare portfolio holder Cllr Jenny David said the district council would do all that it could to help CLOWNS find funding from other sources.

Deputy council leader Cllr Colin Hill said: "We had to look really closely at this and in an ideal world this would be a key objective."

But he said the service provided by CLOWNS was a county council responsibility and more Government money was being given to the county authority to fund such schemes.

As a county councillor he said he would work closely with fellow West Somerset county and district councillor Christine Lawrence to help CLOWNS as much as possible.

Mrs Lawrence said: "I think we will all work hard to support CLOWNS as these areas do need this. It's something of a lifeblood for them.

"I am embarrassed, to say the least, that we have to do this."

A report to the committee from leisure development officer Neil Hutchinson said: "The district council has been a major funder of the CLOWNS organisation for several years - the current annual level of support has been £25,000.

"The council has valued the activities of CLOWNS and continues to do so, particularly in relation to the organisation working in an integrated way with the Sure Start initiative."

He added: "The council has been in discussion with CLOWNS in regard to ongoing financial support, particularly in the light of the authority's financial position and changing priorities.

"It was recognised that the council may have to prioritise between elements of CLOWNS' proposed activities for funding purposes due to the overall constraints on the budget."

Half of the £10,000 given to the organisation will be 'ring-fenced' to provide facilities for the Sure Start area, which stretches between Williton, Watchet, Alcombe and Dulverton.

Photo: Steve Guscott.