A campaign to keep a ‘vital’ shopping service going has been successful - just weeks after the council stood firm on its decision to slash funding.

Community Transport Waltham Forest which helps put food on the tables of the borough’s most vulnerable residents has now won the fight for funding for another year.

This month, Waltham Forest council told the charity it was being hit by the latest round of cuts and would lose funding in a matter of weeks.

Service users were outraged and upset and vowed to fight the decision.

Disabled and elderly residents in the borough said they cannot physically get to the shops and home with their bags any other way.

The charity which runs the service, costing the council £27k annually, said that if one adult went into care as a result of the cuts, it would cost the authority double the service cost.

Two weeks ago Councillor Angie Bean, cabinet member for adult services, said the council could not fund the charity, which has been running since 2006, any longer.

However, today the authority made a u-turn on its decision.

A spokesman said: “The Council and Community Transport Waltham Forest are committed to ensuring older and vulnerable residents are given the support they need to lead active and independent lives.

“To help achieve this goal, the Council has agreed to extend funding for the organisation’s Door to Store service until 31 March, 2016.

“Over the next 12 months, the local authority will work with Community Transport Waltham Forest to help it explore new models of funding which have the potential to enhance the service and give it greater independent financial security in the future.

“At the same time, this partnership working will help the Council to identify residents who may be eligible for support from adult social care services.”

A petition in support of the Door to Store service was signed by more than 1,500 people.