A DAY centre for homeless youngsters has been saved after a donation of £40,000 from a man trying to buy Blackburn Rovers.

Bosses at the Nightsafe charity said they had been overwhelmed by the donation which was ‘completely unexpected’ and came amid funding fears due to budget cuts.

It costs £64,000 per year to run the Fusebox centre, which is based in Blackburn town centre in Jubilee Street.

Just days ago Blackburn Cathedral announced that it had received £125,000 from Ashan Ali Syed, whose Western Gulf Advisory firm is bidding to take control of Rovers.

That project will fund the cathedral choir for the next five years.

Paula Kaniuk, Nightsafe’s chief executive, said the donation was ‘absolutely fantastic’.

It will be used to fund a co-ordinator and youth inclusion workers.

She said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have received this donation.

"Like many local charities, we are subject to funding cuts and could face difficulties in maintaining our services into the future while we face increasing demands.

“To receive such a generous donation at this time is a great boost and will do a huge amount to continue to help homeless young people in the borough.”

She said that she received a routine inquiry by telephone two weeks ago asking about their work.

And then earlier this week Mr Syed’s people made contact to offer support because of his ‘support of education and young people’.

Nightsafe has four projects across Blackburn and Darwen.

In addition to Fusebox is Nightshelter, accommodation for five young people per night in Blackburn town centre, and two housing projects, one on Darwen and one in Witton.

Fusebox provides day services to homeless and other vulnerable young people aged 16-24.

It includes laundry, shower, storage and lunch facilities, as well as informal and accredited educational activities.