A BOXING club has been given an international standard ring to help train its athletes prepare for top level competition.

Brandon Boxing Club, which is based at Brandon Sports Club, was given £5,000 for the new ring to help prepare its members for top level competition.

The club, which has been running since 2013, is used by more than 100 people each week, from beginners to international competitors.

The investment, which was made thanks to a grant from the Banks Group's community fund, will also mean the club can host International Boxing Association (AIBA) recognised events.

The Northern Echo:

Brandon Boxing Club head coach Alex Oliver

The club has also been able to buy interlocking gym mats to provide a safer surface for members to train on.

Head coach Alex Oliver said: "The more we can do to familiarise our boxers with the conditions they’ll encounter when boxing in competitions, the greater the chance they’ll have of succeeding and having this new ring in place is going to make a massive difference to our preparations.

"The new gym mats provide a safer and more stable surface for our members to train on, which is especially important for young members and those with disabilities.

"The club’s cash reserves go towards helping our boxers and their families meet the costs of attending national and international competitions and we could never afford to make this sort of purchase on our own."