The borough's future sporting stars will be using some of the best training facilities in the country when the £5million Sutton Arena Leisure Centre opens in March.

The arena is the first of three regional athletic centres planned for the UK in order to help develop home-grown sporting talent.

It includes a state-of-the-art indoor athletics facility with

a 60-metre sprint track, long and triple jump pits, pole vault lanes, high jump beds and throwing cage, which are all set to give local athletes a competitive edge in their training.

There is also a 400m outdoor track and facilities for five-a-side football, basketball, cricket, badminton, netball and many other team sports.

The venue will be run by Sutton Community Leisure (SCL), which manages the Westcroft and Cheam leisure centres.

It will also have children's play facilities, hold more than 50 different types of exercise, martial arts and dance classes and boasts a top of the range gym.

Manager Peter Flanagan said: "This is a great facility for local people, the schools and the whole community and offers a wide range of activities.

"I really hope the excellent athletics facilities will encourage more young people to get involved in sport and help develop our local talent."

Over the weekend of March 8 and 9, people will be able to visit the arena and try out the equipment, meet staff, find out about what is on offer and take part in a range of activities and competitions.

Like the other centres run by SCL, it will run school holiday activities and clubs for people of all ages and interests.

Sport England, Sutton Council, The London Marathon Charitable Trust and other organisations have invested in the centre, which will become a year-round training facility for local, national and international athletes.

January 31, 2003 11:31