A pioneering scheme which has helped turn around an Oxford estate will close next week after running out of cash.

For three years the Barton Community Development Project (BCDP) has had £134,000 of National Lottery money to boost community spirit and provide training and youth facilities for people in Barton.

It has helped in the redevelopment of Underhill Circus, found cash for community projects and been credited with cutting crime.

Project co-ordinator Alan Foulkes, who will lose his job along with two other development workers, said the Barton Bash summer event would have to be downscaled.

He said: "The danger is a project like this happens and there is nothing to follow up. Things could go backwards, which is what we don't want because there has been real progress. It will be a big loss. The project was a voice for the area."

The project was formed in 2005 to implement the Barton Community Action Plan, a seven-step scheme to improve the area devised by the estate's residents.

The lottery cash paid for staff and running costs, and neighbours have seen benefits including after-school and youth clubs.

Mr Foulkes said £20,000 was needed to fund a new 20-hour per week co-ordinator who would in turn find more funds to keep improving the area.

In December, a bid for funding from a trust fund failed, but early last week Barton Community Association began talks with Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council.

Sue Holden, secretary of the association, said: "If there is no future funding all the good work that has been done will fall by the wayside. It will all have been in vain. Barton has improved hugely and a lot of that has been down to the BCDP. We would be a lot worse off had they not been here."

Last night mums at the gates of Bayards Hill Primary School hoped more funding would be found.

Lisa Pardy, from Claymond Road, said: "The summer playscheme made a big difference because I'm a working mother. It has definitely improved things."

Project volunteer Chaka Artwell added: "This project has been tremendous. It has changed lives and changed aspirations."

Area sergeant Yak Teladia said: "I definitely think the project has assisted in reducing crime. We have had a lot less problems with antisocial behaviour and the perception of crime has gone down."