Dudley's Dell Stadium set for £33,000 of athletic improvements

The throw cage and circle at the Pensnett facility has been out of action since May 2018 after it was condemned as unfit for use.

The project to replace the facilities is now underway with funding from Dudley Council, supported by cash from Dudley and Stourbridge Harriers (DASH) Athletics Club which runs the stadium.

Workers picked up more traditional hammers at the end of September to start the work after the £33,000 spend was approved by the authority last year.

No British man or woman has ever won an Olympic medal in discus, while Sophie Hitchon is the only athlete to win a medal for Great Britain in the hammer – claiming a bronze at the Rio 2016 games after a British record throw of 74.54 metres.

Council bosses in Dudley are hoping that the new facilities will encourage others to take up the sports and create a future Olympic hammer and discus thrower.

Councillor Ian Kettle, the authority's cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise, said: "We want to keep our best young athletes in the borough, and to do that we need to invest to give them the facilities they need.

"The hammer and discus are events where medals have been desperately few and far between for Great Britain.

"It would be fantastic if the next one was from Dudley and I welcome this investment.

"With it being funded ultimately from income coming into the council through hire of our facilities, it won’t cost the taxpayer a penny so it’s win win."

The cage, when completed, will meet UK Athletics standards.

Dudley Council is borrowing cash to fund the facility and paying it back over five years through additional income coming in from the hire of the new 3G football pitch at the Dell Stadium.

Aspiring athletes can find out more information by emailing info@dashac.org.uk.