CAMPAIGNERS fighting for the future of Southampton's sports centre have vowed to continue their struggle.

Tory councillors have pulled out of a working group set up by the city council to investigate ways of financing new facilities at the sporting venue.

Among the options being considered is the sell-off of two parcels of land for housing. Cash raised would pay for better training and changing facilities, much-needed work on the golf course and improved spectator facilities.

Residents living near the sports centre say selling off land would be the thin end of the wedge and may set a precedent for funding of future projects.

Leading campaigner Bob Whitehead, who has been opposed to the sell-off since proposals were first mooted, said the council tax should rise rather than part of the city's "jewels" sold off.

"I'm not convinced that money raised from the sale of this land will go to the sports centre.

"I am totally in favour of upgrading the sports facilities and I don't think anybody would object to paying more on their council tax.

"Year after year leisure budgets are cut - the time has come for this to stop," he said.

Fellow campaigner Don Pallister, whose home backs onto the sports centre, said he was opposed to the principle of selling off the land.

"I am against the loss of any public open space. There will come a day I am sure when they need to use the land they have earmarked for new sporting facilities - and then it will be too late.

"Once you allow it to be used for housing, it is lost forever," he said.

Conservative councillor John Hannides is backing the locals' opposition to the proposals.

He said: " The local authority is the custodian of the sports centre. It should see that it flourishes and that its integrity is protected - it should not oversee its demise.

"The sports centre is not for sale - that's non-negotiable. For this proposed sale to raise the right sort of money, any development would have to be very high density and that would be wholly inappropriate," he said.

Leisure executive member Councillor Derek Burke said it was entirely up to the Tories whether they were involved in the working group or not.

Representatives from the Bassett and Coxford community forums were being encouraged to get involved in the working group, he said.

"The working group will look at how much we might get for the land if we pursue that option. They will be talking to sports groups to find out exactly which new facilities they want to see at the sports centre," he said.