TROUBLED Ruskin High School is to apply for a £2.8million lottery grant to build a new sports complex and help the school escape the axe.

The bid, to be submitted in June, would fund the re-siting of the Crewe and Nantwich Gymnastics and Community Association, currently at Camm Street, to Ruskin as part of the new centre.

Last week County Councillors revealed one of four Crewe high schools could be shut down or forced to merge with another due to poor attendance figures.

Other centres suffering from dwindling numbers included Victoria, Coppenhall and Kings Grove schools.

Headmaster Philip Mottershead refused to comment on the school's future, but said the borough council had given the scheme its initial approval.

"The local authority is fully aware of our plans and has not stopped us from pursuing them," he said.

"The school has a very good reputation for sport and we want to use the lottery bid as a springboard to get sports college status and develop that side of the school.

"The aim is to move all of the Camm Street gymnastic facilities to our school site and extend our own sports facilities in a new complex built around our existing sports hall."

Mr Mottershead added that the project had generated a lot of interest and support from sporting organisations including the governing body for disabled sport and Warrington Rugby League Club.

"The local education authority are also supportive at this stage," he said.

"As far as the school's concerned it's very positive and we feel it would bring great benefits both to the school and to the wider community.

"We are obviously working hard at fund-raising to cover our part of the cost and we welcome interest and support from any members of the community who could help us."

John Gratton, chairman of the Camm Street centre's management committee, said the new complex would be fit to host national gymnastics competitions.

"It will be the most exciting development that not only the centre has seen but the most exciting sporting development in Crewe and Nantwich for many years," he said.

"We would look to sell this site and transfer all of the activities that we currently provide into the new facility."

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