ATHLETES may soon benefit from a new training ground because of a £50,000 boost.

A floodlit training track, with facilities for jumping and throwing, is planned for the Laurence Jackson School in Guisborough.

Local athletic clubs, Redcar and Cleveland Borough councils and other local sources have already raised around £100,000 towards the facility.

The SITA Environmental Trust, which distributes funding through the Government's Landfill Tax Credit Scheme, has donated a further £50,000 to pay for high jump, shot putt and long and triple jump facilities.

The Great North Run provided match funding to unlock the funding from SITA - a requirement of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme.

Graham Hall, chairman of East Cleveland Athletic Track Association, said: "The award is fantastic. As a result, we have been able to apply to Sport England for £500,000 lottery funding and, if that is successful, the facilities will be up and running in 12 months time.

"Athletes in east Cleveland will no longer have to travel to Middlesbrough and beyond to access the facilities they need. I have spent over ten years working on this project and at last it seems worthwhile."

Kate Engel, project manager at the environmental trust, said: "We are delighted to support this project because there is a real need for an athletics facility in the area.

"We are particularly impressed that the project has been carefully thought through to enhance the local environment."

The environmental trust provides funding for community and environmental improvement projects that are within ten miles of a landfill site, owned by waste management firm, SITA UK.

Each year, the trust distributes £6m across the country.

To find out how to apply for funding from the SITA Environmental Trust, call (01454) 262910 or visit www. sitaenvtrust.org.uk