DARWEN Football Club has been threatened with being put out of business after a brewery claimed it was owed thousands of pounds.

Carlsberg Tetley Brewing Ltd has submitted a winding-up petition to the High Court which could force the 115-year-old club into compulsory liquidation to pay off the alleged debt.

But chairman Kath Marah said she was confident of resolving the issue before Monday's court date and told fans: "Don't panic!". She added that the matter would not stop the club fulfilling its forthcoming fixtures.

The public notice announcing the move was displayed in legal newspaper, The London Gazette.

It states that the petition was submitted by the brewery, of Bridge Street, Northampton, on November 13, in which it claimed to be a creditor of Darwen Football and Social Club Limited, of Anchor Ground, Anchor Road.

A hearing is scheduled to be staged at 10am on Monday at the High Court of Justice, Manchester District Registry, in Deansgate, Manchester.

According to the government's Insolvency Service it is unlikely that trading could continue when a winding up order is made.

Mrs Marah said she was negotiating with the brewery to find a resolution and added: "We have asked them to withdraw the petition. We dispute the case. The amount involved is a few thousand. I am confident it will be sorted before December 22."

Carlsberg Tetley Brewing Ltd said they could not comment as the necessary spokesman was in meetings all day.