WORK is on target for the opening of an indoor football centre later this year.

The Soccarena complex being constructed alongside Durham City AFC's Archibald Stadium is on schedule for a September start-date.

City chairman Stewart Dawson is behind the £2m development, which will provide a 363-day-a-year floodlit venue for school, Sunday league and senior club sides, which will play on artificial turf.

Its eight six-a-side pitches can be converted for use as two full-size pitches if required.

There are also changing and refreshment facilities in the development at Broomside Park, Belmont, just off the A690 on the outskirts of Durham.

Mr Dawson confirmed the shell of the building was now in place, little more than two months after Sunderland manager Mick McCarthy cut the symbolic first sod of earth on the site.

Ex-Sunderland centre-back Dickie Ord, assistant manager at Durham City last season, has been appointed director of coaching at Soccarena.

He took part in a promotional penalty shoot-out event staged on the racecourse showfield during Saturday's Durham Miners' Gala.

Cash prizes were offered by Newsquest North-East, proprietors of The Northern Echo, with a same-amount donation made to St Cuthbert's Hospice, Durham.

Signed football shirts were also on offer in the "beat the pro" shoot-out.

Mr Dawson said: "We're delighted to be part of this year's gala."