A boxing club is fighting plans to sell off its base to developers.

Hitchin Boxing Club in Hertfordshire has used a gym owned by Hitchin Youth Trust since 1945.

Now the trust wants to demolish the gym and let the club use another similar-sized building, also rent-free.

But Martin McBeal of the club said unless members were given a bigger and better building, they wanted to stay put.

Historic club

"You can see for yourself how much these kids are enjoying it and how much effort they're putting into it.

"The people of the trust want to come up and have a look for themselves and see how many people we are catering for up here."

Hitchin Youth Trust has already sold some old buildings on the site, and says the move is for the best.

Neil Farrer, from the trust, said: "There's a little bit of history, a little bit of nostalgia but I'm afraid we all have to move on.

"That nostalgia is not worth the �1.2m that we can gain from this site and will invest for the benefit of the youth of Hitchin."

The matter will be discussed by North Hertfordshire District Council next week.