WORK is on schedule for the planned launch of a new indoor football centre in Durham, intended to serve clubs across the community.

The Soccarena, which has up to eight six-a-side pitches on land at Broomside Park, Belmont, alongside Durham City AFC's Archibald Stadium, is on target for a September start.

City chairman Stewart Dawson is behind the £2m centre, which will provide a 363-day-a-year floodlit venue for school, local, Sunday league and even senior club sides on top quality artificial turf.

The eight six-a-side pitches can be converted for use as two full-size pitches if needed, with changing and refreshment facilities also included in the development, just off the A690 dual carriageway

Mr Dawson confirmed the shell of the building is now in place, little more than two months after Sunderland manager Mick McCarthy cut the symbolic first sod of earth on the site.

Ex-Sunderland centre-back Dickie Ord, assistant manager at Durham City last season, has been appointed director of coaching at Soccarena.

He took part in a promotional penalty shoot-out event staged on the Racecourse showfield during Saturday's Durham Miners' Gala.

Cash prizes were put up by Newsquest North-East, publishers of the Advertiser series and The Northern Echo, with a same-amount donation made to St Cuthbert's Hospice, Durham. Signed football shirts were also up for grabs at a 'beat the pro' shoot-out.

Mr Dawson said: "We're delighted to be part of this year's Gala.

"It's a big day for the city and we're taking the chance to give as many people as possible to have a go and try to beat the pro."

Winners on Saturday had to beat the recorded speed of shot of Dickie Ord to stand a chance of winning one of the prizes