Bulldozers move in on sports stadium

The controversial demolition of a sports stadium in Staffordshire was starting today at a cost of £100,000.

Cannock Stadium is being bulldozed after becoming a magnet for yobs since it closed last summer.

Work will involve pulling down the main stadium building and concrete terracing, together with removal of the floodlights, track and associated hard surfaces. The demolition work, which is being carried out by Manchester based Windmill Demolition, is expected to take one month.

An old clubhouse at the site which is about 70 metres from the main building, will remain after bats were discovered in the building.

Councillor Gordon Alcott, ward member for Cannock North, said there was still bitterness in the community about the demolition. He said: "The decision to close this was disgusting. It was a wonderful facility which put Cannock on the map.

"It will be awful to see the demolition take place. I think the people who made the decision to close this wonderful facility should be ashamed of themselves."

Councillor Frank Allen who is also a Cannock North ward member added: "It is a really sad day.

"Everyone around here is absolutely devastated. Its demolition will totally change the landscape of the area."

The council decided to close the athletics stadium in the summer of last year.

The stadium was the home of Cannock and Stafford Athletics Club and the club hosted a number of big athletics meetings. Now the club meets at its Stafford base.

Cannock Chase Council made a decision to demolish all the stadium buildings in December after a rise in vandalism at the site following its closure in the summer of 2008.

Jamie Summerfield, spokesman for the Cannock council said: "The contractors will begin the work today starting with the concrete terracing and then moving on to the main stadium building.

"The old clubhouse will remain because it is protected. All in all the work should take around four weeks."