A SPORTS club faced with the loss of their long-standing home have revealed they are hopeful of a six months' stay of execution.

The gymnastic club, which has national aces and special Olympics champions was given two weeks notice this month to quit their headquarters at The Deanery, Southamp-ton. It is being sold off by its owners, the City College, as part of a £20m campus redevelopment.

Despite pleas from club members, parents and coaches for the centre to remain open, the college has insisted: "Our position is not going to change."

The gymnasts have used the building since 1978 and there is a thriving 600-strong membership, including children with learning difficulties, as well as 100 volunteers.

Officially they were due to leave tomorrow. However, club chairman Kevin Warren has announced that there may be an 11th hour reprieve which will enable the club to remain at The Deanery until the end of the year. Mr Warren, 46, said: "I have met with the college principal and we shall be putting forward proposals which will be considered by the college corporation and would allow us to stay until December.

"I don't know any of the corporation members but the principal appears to be a reasonable person, so I am hopeful.

"A settlement will offer us a partial solution but it will still leave us without long-term accommodation."

The club accepts there is no possibility of any agreement being stretched into the new year and they will be meeting with the city council next month in a bid to find an alternative permanent home.

Mr Warren said: "Our primary concerns are the special needs children and we must find something satisfactory for them. We are hoping to discuss this with the council in the next few weeks."

The college says the sale forms part of a four-year redevelopment, aimed at replacing ageing and unfit premises with state-of-the-art facilities and buildings.