LAND once earmarked for the replacement Mountjoy School in Flood Lane in Bridport would be ideal for an athletics track, says county councillor Karl Wallace.

Coun Wallace has been canvassing for support to see what the community thinks of the idea and has set up a meeting on May 28 to see if the possibility could be taken any further.

Bridport athletics coach Richard Tuck said the area was crying out for better facilities.

Mr Tuck, who is a member of Dorchester Athletics Club, which has just started a West Dorset satellite group, said: “At the moment you can train at Colfox but that is a grass track.

“Coun Wallace is talking about a proper running track.

“Obviously the better facility the better the training can be done and you are going to attract more people into it.

“West Dorset does need a facility somewhere.”

Mr Tuck’s own children both spent four or five years having to go to Bournemouth to train and with the cost of fuel no one wants to go that far these days, he said.

His daughter Megan throws the hammer and discus and represents her university at the British championships and son Alistair has been South West discus champion for the past two years. Mr Tuck said he didn’t support the move solely because his children would benefit.

“Speaking as someone who loves athletics I think it would be a very good thing for the community,” he said.

Coun Wallace said the idea warranted further investigations.

He said: “The county can’t build on it because of the flood plain so it would be an ideal use of the land to have an athletics track and a high and a long jump.”