A DILAPIDATED sports stadium in Middlesbrough needs about £600,000 of repairs to bring it up to date.

Members of Middlesbrough Council's community safety and leisure scrutiny panel will meet on Tuesday to discuss the way forward for Clairville Stadium.

The state of the building, coupled with new leisure provision in the area, has seen the use of the X4 Health and Fitness Club and the sauna drop.

Problems with drainage and the surface of the athletics track have led to athletics competitions being relocated to other facilities in Darlington and Gateshead.

The athletics and cycling development plans and holiday coaching programmes have also suffered as a result of the lack of indoor space and there has been no venue for health and fitness and family activities.

Officers from the council have met with Sport England to assess the likelihood of support for a sports lottery capital bid to improve the facilities.

They have applied to the Community Athletics Refurbishment Programme (Carp), which has awarded £160,000 to improve the outdoor athletics facilities.

They are also set to apply to the Community Club Cycling Development Fund (CCCDF) for funding to create an indoor multi-purpose space for athletics, cycle training and community use.

A report to the meeting said: "Given the current condition of the facility, substantial investment is needed to bring it up to date as the main sub-regional athletics and cycling track.

"Closure of the facility would reduce the viability of local athletic and cycling clubs, Middlesbrough schools would have to travel to Darlington or Gateshead for school sports days and competitions and the local community would lose access to the facility."

Councillors are being asked to approve the Carp funding, authorise officers to apply for CCCDF funding, reallocate £100,000 Carp match funding from the Capital Programme and commit £120,000 from the council's Capital Programme.

The report said: "Accepting Carp and CCCDF funding and committing the additional funds from the Capital Programme over two years brings a total of £600,000 investment to the stadium."