A DECISION on whether the Devizes charity Options will continue to receive National Lottery funding is likely to be made in January.

The charity, which runs a caf and offers young people access to the Internet, is being investigated over the use of National Lottery grant to stage a classical musical concert at Le Marchant Barracks in August.

The concert attracted 27 people, of which eight paid for their tickets. As a result Options lost £20,000 on staging the concert.

Officials from The Community Fund, which was formerly the National Lottery Charities Board, were hoping to have made a decision by now but they say they still have not got all the information they need.

A spokesman for The Community Fund said this week: "The decision is likely to be made in January.

We are still waiting for information from the project in respect of expenditure before we can make a decision."

Officials will decide whether to withdraw the grant or to continue paying it. The grant of £180,000 is spread over two years and is paid in installments. It is due to end in October 2002.

The grant has been suspended while the investigation is being carried out.

The grant was the only source of funding for Options, and as a consequence, it is currently closed as it has no heating or internet access and the water supply has been cut off.

A notice on the front door of Options premises in Station Road says that the charity plans to hold a public meeting to explain how the present circumstances came about once a decision has been made by The Community Fund.