A BOROUGH-based carers charity has marked its 30th anniversary.

Crossroads Care Dudley regularly provides trained carers to take over from a regular carer for a few hours, to enable them to take a break.

The charity, which is based in The Pensnett Estate in Kingswinford, held a celebratory event at Himley Hall where the Mayor of Dudley, councillor Melvyn Mottram cut an anniversary cake before meeting carers and their family members.

The charity started off as a member of the national charity Crossroads Caring for Carers in 1974, which began in Rugby following a grant from TV soap Crossroads.

Dudley Crossroads started in 1982, two years after a small group of people from Dudley NHS set up a steering committee to establish a Crossroads group for the borough, and the service quickly snowballed, expanding year-on-year and this year it is expected the half millionth hour of social care will be provided.