A COMMUNITY'S plans for a modern sports complex could be threatened if councillors refuse to release cash for the scheme.

Civic leaders at Colburn hope Richmondshire District Council will allow £17,500 of the town council's money to be spent on mproving sports facilities.

A bid to the Sport England Lottery Fund for £725,000 towards the cost of the £1m project has already been submitted.

The £17,500, held by the district council, is needed to pay for professional fees.

But senior Richmondshire officials have warned that both authorities could lose thousands of pounds if the Lottery bid were to fail.

Resources committee members will discuss the issue on Tuesday.

The district's executive director Tony Clark said: "If members are mindful to agree to the release, it should be noted that the council's money, together with the town council's money, would be at risk.

"The worse case scenario would be that the monies are paid out and a recreation project is not delivered in Colburn."

The project at Beckwood Playing Fields is part of the Richmond Partnership's efforts to regenerate the Catterick Garrison area.

It has already received £275,000 from the Government's Single Regeneration Budget.

Colburn Mayor Lynn Miller said she was hopeful the project would overcome its difficulties.

She said: "Architects and quantity surveyors all want paying, so we are saying to the district council that we want the money to help with that.

"But even if the Lottery bid fails, we still have £275,000 from the Single Regeneration Budget and there will be a sports facility in Colburn on a different scale.

"Any Lottery bid can fail, but we can't stop and say we won't go any further just in case it does fail."