A NEW £1m "Soccer Skills Centre" and athletics facilities for the city are close to clearing the final hurdle.

Football pitches at Perdiswell Leisure Centre and the Nunnery Wood athletics track are set for a massive overhaul, giving young sports stars of the future the chance to capitalise on their talent.

Two new mini-soccer pitches and a junior pitch will be laid as part of the £911,672 Perdiswell scheme as it is turned into a city soccer skills centre.

Girls' and women's football will also be boosted by eight new changing rooms while Sunday league pitches will benefit from improved drainage and re-seeding.

Funding for the improvements, which is due to be confirmed by the city council cabinet next week, comes after a county-wide study of playing pitches criticised provision in Worcester.

A bid for funding from the Football Foundation - which is expected to provide just under £600,000 for the project - was underpinned by a promise to develop the beautiful game in the city.

"The increased expectations from having quality changing rooms enables us to put on increased coaching camps over the holidays," said the council's assistant head of community services, Wynne Rogers.

Andy Norman, football development officer with the Worcestershire Football Association, said: "Perdiswell has always been an important site for 11-a-side football in the Worcester area. Now we are going to be opening up the opportunity for youngsters and women to play there too."

The £105,240 Nunnery Wood project will include a replacement 400m running circuit as well as new run-ups for track and field events at the Spetchley Road complex.

Jeopardy

The scheme looked to be in jeopardy in February when Sport England, the organisation that distributes Lottery sports grants, announced it was withdrawing £32,620 of predicted funding.

But the council, Nunnery Wood High School and Worcester Sixth Form College - which both use the track for lessons - have agreed to step in with extra funding.

"Sport has a high profile in the school - all students do two hours a week - and clearly there is a link with the excellent facilities we have," said Nunnery Wood headteacher Alun Williams.

The council cabinet will discuss the funding on Tuesday, May 18.