PLANS to axe a squash court as part of a redevelopment package at a Southampton sports complex have come under fire.

As previously reported in the Daily Echo, St Mary's leisure centre, which had been earmarked for closure, is now set to be incorporated into the city's new healthy living centre.

Original proposals to contain the centre on one site at Charlotte Place had to be scrapped due to a lack of funding. Now St Mary's Leisure Centre is set for a huge refurbishment to include health facilities - but it may see one of the centre's two squash courts axed.

The proposals have been criticised by St Mary's' 48 squash club members. Co-founder Diana Gillen-Buchert said: "The centre prides itself on having the only public courts in the whole of inner Southampton. We can't live without two courts."

The city council last night told the centre users' group that the proposals are not definite.