AN indoor bowls club could face ruin if Darlington Borough Council fails to throw it a financial lifeline.

Darlington and District Indoor Bowls Club has been based at the Morrisons shopping complex in North Road since 1979.

Morrisons leases the bowling centre to the council, who leases it to the bowls club.

Bowls club officials have asked the council for a lump sum to maintain the centre, sponsorship for competitions and a rent-free arrangement for four years.

But at a meeting next week, the council will be recommended to refuse the request after officers said it was not viable and could lead to a flood of other requests.

Director of community services Cliff Brown said: "The bowling club is in a serious financial condition, mainly due to a substantial decline in membership from 3,000 to 1,000 in the last ten years.

"During discussions with the English Indoor Bowling Association, it has been confirmed that indoor bowling is in decline nationally and that supply outstrips demand for these facilities. There are also a large number of indoor bowling clubs in the locality."

Mr Brown said it would cost £224,000 to maintain the centre, an amount the council could not justify.

He said the council's priority was its own sports and leisure facilities, and pointed out that Morrisons had refused to help the club financially.