Young youth club volunteers say they have been betrayed by Wiltshire Council over the closure of the centre in Devizes.

Jasmine Stickley and Rosie Mullins, both 18, said they fear Devizes Youth Centre will never re-open in a recognisable form and are particularly worried about the future of the Bridging Project for youngsters with special needs.

Miss Mullins of Charles Morrison Close, Devizes said: “The council did not listen to the voices of young people. We do feel betrayed in lots of ways.”

Miss Stickley of Hare and Hounds Street, Devizes said: “I think we have been lied to. Originally we were told the youth centre would not close until October, but it has been shut since July and we have been given no information about when it will re-open. We are really worried the Bridging Project won’t start up again.”

The Bridging Project was a youth club evening held once a week for people up to age 25 with disabilities. Both Miss Mullins and Miss Stickley had volunteered on the evenings.

The teenagers had helped put together activities for the summer holidays but were told they would not be able to go ahead because youth workers were to be made redundant in July.

Miss Mullins said: “Normally the youth club would have been open all through the holidays on several days a week and there would have been outings and special activities.”

Both are worried about what will happen to equipment which they helped youth workers store in a locked office in the youth club, but which has now been moved to the leisure centre.

Miss Stickley said: “There was all kinds of equipment including a table tennis table, balls, DVDs and other stuff. It was safe where it was so I don’t understand why it has been moved.”

Both teenagers say they were greatly helped by youth workers who they went to for advice during difficult times and have been inspired to go into similar work.

Miss Mullins wants to become a youth worker and Miss Stickley a teaching assistant. Both will be at the Devizes Area Board meeting on September 29 to ask questions about the future of the youth centre.

Richard Gamble the Wiltshire Council portfolio holder for schools, skills and youth said the youth service was going through a period of transition but he said he would not describe it as a void.

He said: “I am optimistic that given time youth services in the Devizes area will be fully back up and running again.”

He said Sally Willox had been appointed community youth officer for the Devizes area and would be based in the town. I am confident over the next few weeks people will start to see things coming together.”

A Wiltshire Council spokes-man denied equipment taken from the youth centre would not be available for youth clubs in the future and said he was more than happy to see it being used by groups if required.