ATHLETES will spend money left to them by a former council to improve security at their training space.

Vale Royal Athletics Club plan to build a fence around the track at their Knights Grange home near Northwich using £99,999 handed to them by Vale Royal Borough Council.

That cash had originally been earmarked to pay for a new running surface.

“That is unlikely to happen in the short term,” admitted club president Harry Evans.

“So the solution is find another way to spend the money that will benefit everybody who trains there.”

Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC), which now owns and run the site, has included the sum in its capital programme for the current financial year.

A spokesman said: “We want it to be spent on athletics.”

Evans said he hopes the fence will deter intruders from damaging the facility.

Any spare money will be used to pay for a throws cage, plus a synthetic strip for the club’s high jumpers.

He is due to meet council officials today, Wednesday, to sign off the proposals.

“We asked the club to provide us with a list of improvements that could be made at the site that would enable them to develop,” said a council spokesman.

“They can then offer improved opportunities for young people.”

“They have provided us with ideas for possible projects and a meeting has taken place already to discuss each one in more depth.

“We have agreed to produce an action plan, but there is currently no timetable in place as the works are yet to be confirmed.”

Last year the club’s plans for a new £550,000 synthetic surface in Winsford, which would allow Vale Royal AC to host county track and field championships, were put on hold indefinitely.

The old borough council said it did not have enough cash to match a £220,000 contribution pledged by Sport England, while their successors at CWAC said they were not prepared to pay for improving leisure facilities anywhere until after a survey of sport provision was finished.

A draft report of their initial findings is due next month.