Charity, Back Onside, closes 24/7 crisis line due to lack of funds
The line has taken more than 28,000 calls since it was set up six years ago
After six years and 28,000 calls - a Scots charity hotline which helps people who are considering suicide has been taken offline.
Mental health charity, Back Onside, says it has had no choice but to shut down its 27/7 crisis service because of a lack of funding.
The line, which operated 365 days per year, has been described as a "lifeline" for people who are in a crisis situation.
The service would provide emergency support to the caller, and the charity would then offer the person professional one-to-one counselling.
However, founder Libby Emmerson says the follow-on support is no longer viable due to funding constraints.
It comes after the charity issued a campaign highlighting the impact of suicide on loved ones in a bid to raise cash.
READ MORE: Charity shares heart breaking letters for suicide awareness campaign
Libby said: "I've had to make the decision to close the line for a couple of reasons, one being that we just do not have the funding to be able to support the amount of people that are coming through for our services.
"Secondly, yes, I can be there at the end of the phone 24 hours a day, I can go out to the call outs, however we're not able to then move forward with being able to support them with the proper professional counselling that people need.
"That's something I can't allow us to do. We can't be raising awareness of a service and only giving 20 percent.
"We're hoping it won't be closed for too long, but we need to get the nearly 200 people off the waiting list, as well as continue to support the 152 people who are currently getting weekly support from us.
"If we leave the crisis line open, we're not just adding to the waiting list, but we're giving people false hope. That's not something I can do.
"It's really hard to put into words how we're all feeling at the office. This is a decision that has not been easy to make. It makes me feel that I've let people down.
"I know exactly what this line does, I am the person who answers that phone, so I know exactly the importance of us continuing to do this.
"If you're somebody who's used this line, or thinks they might use in the future, please bear with us.
"If you or someone you know can support us, please tell them about us. We need to get this back up and running."
The Samaritans provide confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair. Their 24-hour helpline is on 116 123.
If you are in crisis, call 999.
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