Children who brave the elements to play football can now look forward to warmer training sessions.

Building work has started on a much-needed indoor training centre at Queensbury Celtic Junior Football Club.

The groundwork for the new building was completed last week and builders have now moved on to the site to begin constructing the steelwork.

Club officials say the new facility, set to cost more than £100,000, will be a major boost to the club, which is often hit by adverse weather conditions.

A decade of fundraising activities has provided the club with enough money to pay for the building's steelwork, cladding and roof. But more money will be needed to install the walls, flooring and lighting.

Arthur Peel, the club's founder and chairman, said: "The weather seems to be permanently nasty in Queens-bury, so an indoor training facility is vital. Teams come up here from Leeds and say it's like coming to another world because it's so cold.

"Last year's training fees for the club were £6,000 because we had to hold training sessions all over Bradford, hiring out different sports facilities. But our new indoor training centre will put us on a different level."

The club, formed by Mr Peel 28 years ago, now runs 20 teams for boys and girls from under-sevens to under-17s level.

Mr Peel said the club had battled against planning regulations and funding problems to get to this stage in developing a new indoor centre. He said the £100,000 raised so far had come from the club's own fundraising efforts, with the exception of a £2,800 grant from West Yorkshire Police.

"All the money and grants seem to go towards inner city facilities and the outskirts get forgotten about," said Mr Peel.

Tony Stead, a member of the club's committee, said: "We still need funds because the £100,000 that has been saved over ten years is now not going to be enough because costs are escalating.

"It is vital to get this indoor facility because the weather up there is horrendous and we have had kids crying because it's so cold."

e-mail: will.kilner@bradford.newsquest.co.uk