Flimby Social Club’s electricity will be switched off today unless members can find £4,500.

An emergency public meeting last night, attended by around 150 people, heard that the club owes £9,000 to its supplier, and it would be cut off unless it could find half the amount.

The meeting was told that the club was overall at least £42,000 in debt.

A new committee has been set up to save the club.

People at the meeting gave donations totalling £840 tonight.

The village's M&S Store and Post Office has been set up as a drop-off point for cash.

An appeal has gone out to villagers to help stave off immediate closure to give the club time to turn itself around.

The club’s largest single debt is £15,000 owed to HMRC, which includes VAT and PAYE payments.

It also owes £6,300 for gaming machines and a jukebox.

Secretary Brett Smith said until accountant Lee Dixon had finished going through the books, the new committee had not real idea of how much was owed.

They are awaiting access to their own bank accounts because the only signatory left the club before Christmas.

Mr Smith said British Gas has had no payments and no contact since June last year.

He said: “We need to look at how to save the club but we have to be open to save it – and if the power is shut off we can’t do that,” he said.