One in three women suffer domestic abuse

West Cornwall Women's Aid said if it could not find an extra �50,000, three professional posts, including trained counsellors, would be lost.

The three posts could close at the end of March, it warned.

County domestic violence co-ordinator Anne Jefferies said she would work with statutory agencies to try to help.

Budget shortfalls

West Cornwall Women's Aid offers a community service to the Kerrier and Penwith districts, as well as the Isles of Scilly. It also has two refuges housing up to 11 women in Penzance.

The service said it was dealing with an increasing number of referrals from the police, GPs and social services.

It said it appreciated that social services, primary care trusts and the police were under pressure with budget shortfalls to tackle, but warned if the helpline was withdrawn there could be serious consequences.

Helpline and outreach co-ordinator Heather Collings said: "These women are so stressed by this situation.

"Women have had to be warned that the counselling will come to an end, and women that were asking for counselling are being told that we won't have a service."

Anonymous callers

Police said such helplines were vital because of their confidentiality.

Devon and Cornwall Police said: "Without helplines those victims would not get the expert one-to-one advice that they require and we would miss the opportunity to provide for their safety and welfare."