By PETE HAYES

WARRINGTON Rowing Club members took days off work and grafted into darkness to help construct their new landing stage.

The club, situated next to Kingsway Bridge, was in desperate need of a new facility to launch boats to be able to host race meetings in the forthcoming year.

The old wooden landing stage was rotted and delapidated and caused a serious health hazard. With assistance from the Manchester Ship Canal Company, dropping the water level three feet, work was able to commence.

Around 20 members took Thursday and Friday off work and more joined the volunteers on Saturday where they worked into darkness to complete the 1,400 square feet concrete jetty.

Although the river is 16 feet deep in parts a three feet drop was enough to expose the bottom, next to the bank where the landing bay is housed.

Only one professional was hired for the project - the driver of the JCB. The rest of the building team were amateurs willing to turn their hand to secure the future of their club.

Committee member Ken Rogers and club captain Nigel Wilkinson were in charge of overseeing the construction and ex-chairman Ken Morris lent his expertise in structure and engineering to develop the backgound drawings.

The money for the landing stage was raised from club funds and underlines the consistent growth of the club. From its inauguration in 1986 with roughly 10 members the club has built and stocked its own boat house and grown to a 60-strong membership.

This latest addition it is hoped will attract wheelchair-bound rowers who wish to join, as the improved landing stage has been modified to be accessible for wheelchairs.

Spokesperson Richard Sinnott said: "It was a big job that needed to be done but we kept putting it off and it took everyone to pull together for it to be completed.

"Everyone went home shattered on Saturday night."