Borough athletes are to join the fast lane with work beginning on a new council-funded £1.4 million track due for completion by Christmas.

The six-lane, all-weather facility has been designed to high specification and could help to unearth an Olympian of the future.

Meeting a long-standing need, it will serve all Halton local schools and will be home for Halton and Frodsham Harriers.

The club had to stage Sunday's home match in the Cheshire Track and Field League at Stanney Oaks, Ellesmere Port.

The facility - on playing fields between Sts Peter and Paul Catholic Sports College and Wade Deacon High School in Widnes - will include full facilities for field events, changing rooms and grass banking for spectators. now under way and scheduled to finish in December, is being 100% funded by Halton Borough Council.

Floodlighting will enable the track to be used at evening time and the complex will be fully enclosed by a 2.4-metre security fence.

Councillor Phil Harris, executive board member for sport, said: 'We promised a running track and it is now being delivered.

'Not only will it benefit a range of sports and age groups, but it might even help produce an Olympic star in 2012.' track has been designed to Sport England and UK Athletics standards.