The owners of Sedgefield racecourse have unveiled plans for a new all-weather track.

Northern Racing intend to spend �3.5m on the development, plus an additional �500,000 upgrading the course's facilities.

If approved, it will be the only all-weather track in the north of England, and the fourth in the country alongside Wolverhampton, Southwell and Lingfield.

Officials hope to use the all-weather track alongside the existing turf meetings at the County Durham course.

In a further boost to all-weather racing, Cagnes-sur-Mer, Neuss, Lingfield Park and Jagersro have joined forces to create the European All-Weather Championship.

The four Listed races in the series will offer a total of over �180,000 in prizemoney.

The Grand Prix de la Riviera Cote d'Azur at Cagnes on 11 February gets the series underway, followed by the Neusser Sandbahn Grand Prix at Neuss on 23 February.

The series will then switch to England for the Lingfield Bet Direct Winter Derby over 10 furlongs on 15 March, ending with the Pramms Memorial at Jagersro-Malmo on 8 May.