THE committee of a youth club which has been in Winnington for almost a century fears for its future.

Winnington Youth Club, on Jubilee Field, was given to the people of Northwich by the old Brunner Mond company in 1908.

Now, in a twist of fate, youth leaders are worried that a Brunner Mond-led consortium wants to move the club and reduce its size.

Fears were heightened after NPL Estates, owner of the land off Winnington Avenue, only gave the club a one-year lease, which contains a clause saying the landlord has the option to terminate the lease at any time giving not less than four weeks' prior notice.

The club has always had a seven-year lease in the past.

Chairman Peter Bellis, 62, has been involved with the club for more than 50 years.

He said: "We are facing a very uncertain future. They are trying to force us off. We can't plan ahead.

"If there is going to be an urban village then there are going to need to be sports facilities. I think the best solution would be to redevelop the youth club into a leisure area with sports facilities."

An NPL Estates spokesman said: "Winnington Properties inherited the lease for the playing fields when it acquired the land from ICI. That lease has now expired.

"Winnington Properties has offered the standard lease terms which apply to all of its land holdings and is more than happy to engage in detailed discussions in this respect."

A spokesman for the Winnington Urban Village consortium added: "The masterplan that accompanied the planning application shows the existing sports pitches in their current location off Winnington Avenue plus a proposed new pavilion and sports pitch adjacent to the lime beds.

"This is in addition to the pitches used by the Winnington Avenue Youth Club."