Emergency services - police, fire and ambulance - (24 hours) 999.

Merseyside Police (all departments) 709-6010.

Merseyside Fire Brigade, (Western Div Wirral) Exmouth St, Birkenhead, 647-9555.

Community Patrol: 666-5265.

Gas escape (24 hours) 0800-111-999.

Electrical emergency (24 hours) 608-9911.

Water (emergency or bursts) 228-4888.

Wirral Council: Wallasey Town Hall, 638-7070; Housing and Environmental Protection 647-2320; Social Services 647-7000.

Merseytravel: info on public transport: 236-7676.

Hospitals: Arrowe Park 678-5111; Clatterbridge 334-4000; Hoylake Cottage 632-3381; VCH 678-5111; BUPA Murrayfield 648-7000.

The Samaritans:708-8888. Service for the deaf available.

Wirral Brook Advisory Centre: 14 Whetstone Lane, Birkenhead. Info and condoms only, Monday to Friday, noon to 6.30pm. Clinic times with doctor, nurse and counsellor, Mon, Tues and Thursday, 4.30 - 6.30pm; Saturday, 1-3pm.

Mersey Aidsline: confidential advice for people concerned about HIV/Aids, Mon, Tues, Wed, and Fridays 7-9pm - 709-9000; Merseyside Aids Support Group 708-9080. Mersey Body Positive offers social work, support, welfare fund and alternative therapies: 707-0606.

Child Death Helpline: free and confidential support - 0800-282986.

Wirral Society of the Blind & Partially Sighted:652-8877.

Wirral Talking Newspaper for Blind & Partially Sighted 653-4787.

The Stroke Association: Wirral Information Centre, Rehabilitation Unit, Clatterbridge Hospital. Helpline: 604-7362.

Alzheimer's Disease Society: 24-hour answering machine, 670-0343.

Guillain Barre Syndrome Support Group - Freefone 0800-374803.

Wirral Rape Crisis Counselling Service: PO Box 35, Birkenhead L42 4RX. 666-1392. Business Line: 650-0155.

Carers' Helpline: Advice and support for Wirral's 30,000 carers - 630-0005.

Inland Revenue: Enquiry Counter, Birchen House, I Canning Street, Birkenhead, Monday to Friday, 8.30am-4.30pm, or 'phone 200-8000, fax 200-9320, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm.

Energy Advice Centre: Freefone 0800-512-012.

Chester Diocesan Adoption Service: 46 Hamilton Square, Birkenhead. 647-4844.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.