Charity denies a 'land grab'

A LONDON-BASED children's charity has denied its plans to expand into Scotland amount to a "land grab".

For 125 years, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children has had a "gentleman's agreement" with Scottish equivalent Children 1st.

But now the NSPCC is to appoint a 60,000 director of services for Scotland and plans to employ 25 people. Children 1st said the move could cause confusion among the public about the different roles and fundraising needs of the two charities.

But NSPCC chief executive Andrew Flanagan said: "It isn't a land grab. In recent years we have been going in different directions."