DARTFORD Council is investing £250,000 in improvements to Central Park Athletics Track in the town's Central Park.

The track, has been home to Dartford Harriers Athletics Club since 1968 and has proved to be a great training and competition venue for athletes from the area and further afield.

South African born Zola Budd ran her first race in the UK on the track in April 1984, setting a women’s track record of 9 minutes 2.6 seconds in the 3000m.

The council will announce the plan's at the budget meeting tonight.

The new makeover will include a refurbishment to the track, extension of the high jump fan, better facilities for wheelchair athletes to the shot put and hammer/discus circles, addition of quadrants to provide a six lane sprint straight to the back of the track circuit, relocation of the pole vault and the long/triple jump facilities and new take-off boards.

The works are planned for July this year and will take around 10 weeks to complete.

Tony Durey, chairman of Dartford Harriers, said: "I’m absolutely delighted with the news. Jeremy called me in a couple of weeks ago to let me know of the council’s plan to invest in our club and facilities.

"It will make a huge difference to what we have to offer the people of Dartford, especially the young. We’re a very successful club and having a new track surface will make a big difference."