Residents are calling for a Grove Park youth club to be brought back into use after worries it could be turned into homes.

The purpose-built 1960s Marvels Lane club was shut down over a year ago after Lewisham Council withdrew funding as part of sweeping budget cuts.

Now, following talk at a recent local assembly that it could be turned into homes, a petition has been organised to re-open it - getting 250 signatures in just a week.

Mum-of-five Farrah Thomas moved into her Baring Road home last year but was surprised by how little there was for teens in the area.

She said: "There's nothing for my 14-year-old to do. I've noticed there's a lot of children in the area but these kids have not nowhere to go.

"Meanwhile there's a youth club just sitting there doing nothing."

The 28-year-old went on: "It seems they're going to turn it into houses. But nobody in the community knew they were going to do that before now."

At a local assembly meeting on July 2, residents were told that the vacant site "has the capacity for a residential development, or mixed use development combining residential properties and either retail or community facilities."

Chairman of the Grove Park Neighbourhood Forum Stephen Kenny said: "Demolishing a purpose-built youth club makes no sense while there is always demand for activities for young people. 

"Grove Park has suffered a disproportionate amount of cuts, the youth clubs has been closed, we have lost a large number of adult education classes, the library has been downgraded, the under fives was closed and is now run by the community. 
 
"A possible sensible alternative would be to make a community asset transfer of the youth club so that local residents can take it over."

A Save Grove Park Youth Club Facebook page and Twitter account have now been set up.