A CHARITY that provides dog walkers for elderly people who are no longer able to exercise their pets themselves is appealing for volunteers in the Marlborough and Pewsey areas.

The Cinnamon Trust, which operates from Hayle near St Ives in Cornwall, was registered as a charity in 1985 in response to the need for helpers to exercise dogs when their owners became too old, frail or infirm to do it themselves.

The trust says it now needs to find helpers in the Marlborough and Pewsey areas where elderly pet owners are either finding it difficult or impossible to continue walking their dogs.

A spokesman for the charity said that in Marlborough there is a particularly urgent case in which an elderly woman is no longer able to exercise her dog due to failing health.

The spokesman said: "We would like to arrange for a rota of people to help this lady but unfortunately do not have volunteers close enough at the moment.

"Even if someone can only help for an hour or two a week we would be delighted to hear from them."

Potential volunteers can telephone the trust on (01736) 757900 during its opening hours, from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, or write to The Cinnamon Trust, Foundry House, Foundry Square, Hayle, Cornwall TR27 4HE. Alternatively, e-mail the charity at admin@cinnamon.or.uk to receive a registration form.

Further information about the trust can be found on its website www.cinnamon.org.uk.