A £400,000 east Cleveland sports facility has won approval from councillors.

Preparations for a National Lottery application to fund the cost of an all-weather running track and multi-sports pitch are now being stepped up.

It is hoped that the scheme in Mill Lane, Marske, will provide a boost for sports in the area. At present, local athletes have to travel to use tracks in Middlesbrough and Darlington.

The track and pitch, which could be open by April 2003, will be run for school and community use by Huntcliff School and East Cleveland Track and Athletic Association.

Graham Hall, of New Marske Harriers Athletics Club, said it was now "full steam ahead" with a Lottery application.

He said that the facility, the first in east Cleveland, would benefit international athletes such as runner Stephen Hepples, who lives near Whitby, but must travel to Darlington to train.

Mr Hall said it would also provide somewhere for the area's youngsters to develop their sporting skills.

The facility won approval from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's planning committee.

There were some objections to the location of the running track, which will now be sited nearer to the school, and the pitch, which will be positioned closer to the sports centre.

Councillor Vera Moody said: "The athletics clubs in the area have been looking for quite a number of years, and I am pleased to see they have finally found a home. It is going to be an excellent facility."

Councillor Dave McLuckie, who was a schoolboy 200m champion, said: "What we will see is the achievements of young people in east Cleveland increasing, so they compete with the best. More young people will take advantage of the facility and we will see fewer young people hanging about with nothing to do."

The committee chairman, Councillor Helen McLuckie, said she hoped the facility would provide a sports star of the future, and Councillor Peter Spencer said he hoped to see someone from east Cleveland at the Olympics.