COUNCIL employees are donating £4,000 to help a local team compete at the Special Olympics.

Workers at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council who have taken out personal loans with the authority's bankers, the Co-op, have donated the sum from Redcar and Cleveland Council's Employees Loan Fund.

The sum was built up through commission from the loans.

The money will go to the Northern region team preparing to compete at the Special Olympics National Summer Games, in Cardiff, later this month.

Keith Wilcox, manager at the Skelton Skills Centre, manages the 148-strong team, 67 of whom are trainees at the Skelton, Upsall Hall and Grangetown centres for people with learning disabilities.

He said: "A tribute needs to be paid to the local sports coaches, families and athletes and many groups who have worked to raise the much-needed finance."

The award is the biggest single donation to the £10,000 target needed to fund the trip. Other fundraising events have helped pay for clothing, travel and accommodation.

The games take place from July 28 to August 4, and involve 2,500 competitors, from 17 regions. This is the fifth time people from Teesside have been involved.

At the last games, in Portsmouth, in 1997, local athletes won 42 gold medals, 54 silver and 36 bronze.