A Kent charity that gives carers of sick or dependent relatives a much-needed break has issued an appeal for more help.

Maidstone and North West Kent Crossroads provides regular breaks for more than 800 local carers.

Its Young Carers' Project supports around 130 people, some as young as eight. Some of the youngsters are solely responsible for the care of a sick relative.

Alf Archer, Maidstone & N W Kent Crossroads general manager, said: "We are urgently seeking funding to continue our Young Carers' Project.

"Caring and poverty are, for quite obvious reasons, inextricably linked so many miss out on those things the majority of children are able to take for granted.

"These children and young people would not experience a visit to a football match, the Science Museum or an adventure holiday in Snowdonia were we not to take them."

Crossroads aims to give carers time off by sending a trained carer support worker to take over their responsibilities for up to three hours each week.

A spokesman said: "We would like to provide more support for local carers and donations of even a small amount of money directly or though a company 'Give-As-You-Earn' scheme help enable us to continue this free service."

Meanwhile, the charity has also announced that Irene Jeffrey will take over the post of general manager when Mr Archer retires at the end of July.

Lynne Tindle, chairman of trustees, paid tribute to the outgoing general manager. She said: "Just over 10 years ago, when Alf became general manager, Maidstone Crossroads was a small scheme with about 10 carer support workers.

"Now more than 50 trained staff provide regular breaks for over 800 local carers and the scheme is well recognised not only as one of the largest schemes in the UK but also the most efficient."