STREET pastors in Wallingford are seeking new volunteers so they can offer help to night-time drinkers twice a week – and perhaps even save someone’s life.

The town’s team of street pastors launched a year ago and 20 volunteers have been offering support to people enjoying a night out every Friday.

Now they want to double the number of volunteers in the team so they can patrol the town centre every Saturday night as well.

The scheme is backed by Churches Together Wallingford and the Ascension Trust.

As well as offering drinkers advice, street pastors also hand out flip-flops to women who have lost or damaged their shoes as well as lollipops.

Co-ordinator Ralph Shephard said the scheme had been a great success, with volunteers supporting drinkers between 10pm and 2am every Friday.

Mr Shephard, 57, said: “I think it has been a very successful year and I know Thames Valley Police support what we are doing.”

Senior street pastor Frances Willoughby, from Wallingford, added: “Street pastors are known for giving out lollipops and we have handed out about 3,000 in our first year. A lollipop can be a small token when we meet people and can sometimes be used to calm an aggressive moment.”

The street pastors have also picked up 300 bottles to keep the town tidy and prevent their use as weapons.