A charity shop is appealing for more volunteers after being forced to shut its doors due to a shortage of manpower.

Oxfam, in Museum Square, Keswick, is open seven days a week but last Thursday it was forced to close early because of a lack of people to run it.

Manager Sylvia Kociemba said: "We are a great shop and people may not realise we need more help. We rely on our volunteers a lot. Without them we could not run. We need at least two people in the shop to open."

For various reasons, including ill health and retirement, volunteer numbers have dropped in the past year to 30.

"We have a real mixture of volunteers, from schoolchildren to older people. They are a dedicated team, four or five of them have been with us for a long time. The longest has been with us 38 years," said Sylvia.

"But some of them can only work a couple of hours a week so it can be a struggle to get the necessary cover."

Volunteering in the shop can provide vital work experience, said Sylvia.

"There is a whole social side to it too. There's always lots of laughter and fun in the back room, volunteering is a very rewarding role," she said.

"We get so many donations and people do not realise how much is going on behind the scenes until they join us. There's quite a journey from goods coming to the shop before they are out for sale."

For more details call the shop on 017687 74494 or email oxfamshopf0327@oxfam.org.uk