A £2.2 million lottery grant will transform Chelmsford's Melbourne Park Athletics Centre into one of the county's top sporting venues.

The grant to Chelmsford Council is the biggest ever awarded in Essex by the Sport England Lottery Fund.

The windfall will be spent on indoor facilities to add to the £1.5 million eight-lane outdoor athletics track which opened last year.

The project should be completed by early 2002. New features will include an indoor athletics centre with a 60m six-lane sprint track, a 45m pole vault runway, long and triple jump lanes and areas for high jump and throwing events.

A four-court sports hall, changing rooms, social areas and enough room for 200 spectators are also part of the impressive plans.

The new centre will be used by Chelmsford Athletics Club, Essex County Council Youth Service and a host of other community groups and sports clubs.

It is hoped disabled athletes will also benefit from the development.

Michael Mackrory, leader of Chelmsford Council and former mayor, said: "This is tremendous news for Chelmsford. All local athletes will benefit, as well as those elsewhere in Essex or in the eastern region.

"This will not only establish Melbourne as a county and regional centre for athletics but will enable the council to deliver a range of community sports activities for local people."

Olympic champions could train in Chelmsford when the new centre is built.

Three potential members of this summer's Great Britain Olympic party are already using the facilities at the centre to get in shape.

Essex stars like sprint hurdler Julie Pratt, leading pole vaulter Kevin Hughes and high jumper Stuart Ohrland all train at Melbourne Park's eight-lane outdoor track.

Bernard Mella, head of leisure services at Chelmsford Council, said that more top athletes will come to the county town when the indoor centre is finished

"With the indoor facilities, rather than them going to California for warm weather training they can train here all year round indoors."

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