BRIDPORT boxing chief Alan Slaney fears his club will have to close if proposals to withdraw funding from the county’s youth centres get the green light.

Chairman and head coach Slaney, who has been running the club for more than 30 years, admits he doesn’t know “whether we are coming or going”.

Dorset County Council revealed last autumn that funding could be withdrawn from its 22 youth centres, with youth workers to operate out of schools and in the community instead.

The proposals will be discussed by the council next Wednesday and the public will be allowed to speak with prior notice.

Slaney claims he has not been contacted by anyone regarding the matter and all he knows about the situation is through stories in the local media.

“We’ll have to wait and see if we have got premises or not,” he said. “If the youth club closes then the boxing club goes, it’s as simple as that. I don’t know whether we are coming or going at the moment.

“We’ve still got boys boxing all over the country but that’s beside the point.

“No-one has spoken to me. No-one has been in touch whatsoever. All I know is what I have read in the papers.”

And when asked if he has tried to get in touch with those involved in the decision-making process, he added: “As far as I’m concerned it’s for them to get in touch with me.

“We’ve been there for 30-odd years, it’s not like we’ve been there for a few months.

“Until they do that what can I do? Who do I talk to or go and see? I just don’t know.”

If the youth centre in Bridport did close the boxing club would have the option of looking to move to another location.

However, Slaney reckons that is difficult to imagine.

He added: “If it did close where else could we go? There’s nowhere big enough.

“We’ve thought of different places but it has taken us 30-odd years to get the equipment we have. A lot of people have raised funds over the years to get the equipment together.

“We’ve got a nice gym but it looks like we are going to have to shut down.

“I feel sorry for the hundreds of people who have helped us over the years.”

Bridport staged their last show at Freshwater Holiday Park in November, with Slaney eventually able to hold 10 bouts following a number of withdrawals.

Host club duo Liam Middleton and Peter Wellman lost on points to James Lee and Kyle D’arcy respectively.