A disabled teenager made an impassioned plea to save her resource centre at an emotional meeting last night.

Wheelchair-bound Jo Brinkley, 16, helped her mum design a poster pleading for the Summerfield Resource Centre in Wootton Road, Abingdon, to stay open.

It was circulated after a meeting was held between parents and Phil Hodgson, assistant director of Oxfordshire County Council's social services.

Summerfield may have to close after county councillors proposed axing three of its four resource centres in Oxfordshire.

Jo's poster read: 'Leave Our Summerfields (sic) Alone. We Don't Want To Close, Think Of All The People You Will Hurt.

'Maybe You Would Like Us To Come And Stay With You For A Day'.

Her mum Angela said: "Jo feels very strongly that Summerfield must not be allowed to close."

The meeting was one of a number being held before councillors make their final decisions in February.

The other threatened resource centres are St Nicholas House in Littlemore, Oxford, Sycamore House in Banbury and Chilterns in Henley.

One parent said: "You are talking about wiping out a service which caters, in one form and another, for what must be the most vulnerable sector of society it is possible to find.

"If you are really contemplating doing this, you must think again."

Story date: Wednesday 27 January

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