A PROSPECTIVE Olympic champion could see her chances of glory dealt a massive blow this morning when she loses her coach to council budget cuts.

Gary Hollywood's £19,000-a-year post as swimming development officer in Wear Valley, County Durham, is one of 14 due to be axed at a district council budget meeting this morning.

Opening times at pools and sports centres are also being reduced as the authority's leisure and arts services bear the brunt of cuts totalling £488,000.

Caroline Saxby, Commonwealth Games finalist in the 800m freestyle and a former Northern Echo Local Heroes award-winner, was hoping to reach the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

But the 20-year-old champion now fears for her future.

As she trained at Crook yesterday her mother, Renee, said: "Caroline's training has been geared to getting to the Olympics for the past five years.

"This has left her completely shattered. She has no idea what she will do. Gary is one of the top distance coaches in the world.

"The next nearest is in Glasgow and after that it is Australia."

The move will dismay supporters of sport who are desperate for success for North-East youngsters on the national and world arena.

It will threaten the future of the Wear Valley Swimming Club, which Mr Hollywood has spent five years building into one of the most successful in the country.

Parents of many of the 160 members have bombarded the council with complaints and are appealing to the Amateur Swimming Association for help.

Club secretary Audrey Rolfe said its whole future was in doubt. She said: "The council say their priority is to reduce youth crime but they are penalising good children who are dedicated to their sport."

Mr Hollywood said he felt let down by his bosses.

He learned of his probable fate through a report in The Northern Echo, having been told last month that his job was safe.

He said yesterday: "Our swimmers have been ambassadors for Wear Valley around the country.

"The pursuit of the Olympic dream is their motivating goal. If my job goes I will do anything, work on the dustcarts if necessary, to stay and help them."

After the last games in Sydney, Newcastle swimmer Susan Rolph made waves in the swimming world by blaming her lack of success on the lack of Olympic-size pools in the region.

The council's policy and strategic development committee meets at 10am today.