THE deadline arrives today for the owners of the Newcastle Jesters ice hockey club to open talks with union executives about the ongoing pay saga.

The club's players and staff were due to be paid on February 28.

Last week, the Ice Hockey Players' Association (IHPA) wrote to club chairman Paul Smith, giving a seven-day deadline to open talks.

The club is owned by Fablon of London, and neither the company nor its media arm, the Eye Group, have given any explanation for the delay.

The Northern Echo understands that two more pay cheques are due, at the end of this month and next.

Staff and players claim that they have been kept in the dark.

In her letter to Mr Smith, Jo Collins, executive director of the IHPA, said lawyers would be instructed if the deadline passed without Mr Smith beginning in-depth talks over the delay.

All but one of the players on the Jesters roster are foreign, and many are waiting for their pay to be able to fly home.