One of the city’s most popular boxing clubs is still hunting for a home of its own in its ongoing push to expand.

The Blackbird Leys Amateur Boxing Club, one of the oldest organisations on the estate, has been based upstairs at the community centre for more than 30 years.

But coaches say the room is too small and cramped for the amount of boxers coming through their doors.

They have been on the hunt for the past few years and have now come up with a list of potential buildings on the estate they could call their own.

Head coach Tony Gibson said: “One place we were really interested in was the Blackbird Leys Swimming Pool, behind the community centre.

“We thought when they built the new one, that would be empty and it would be perfect for what we wanted.

“But now we’ve found out that it won’t be available for at least a year now.”

Plans to build a new multi-million-pound swimming pool in Blackbird Leys have been delayed due to a town green application from residents.

The application was rejected by Oxfordshire County Council last month. The proposal is to demolish the current swimming pool once the new facility is built.

Mr Gibson said: “That would have been perfect. Other than that, we looked at the Jubilee Hall on the Leys, but that just wouldn’t be enough for us and the ceilings wouldn’t be able to hold our equipment.”

The club meets four times a week and has seen hundreds of men, and a number of women, walk through its doors.

About 90 per cent of the young men and women are from Blackbird Leys and Mr Gibson said boxing had helped many of them turn their lives around.

But after every session, the boxers and coaches have to take all the equipment, including the ring, down for the night.

Mr Gibson said: “This is something we are very serious about. It would make a massive difference to all the boxers here.”

The club has looked into buying a barn used by the Pathway Workshop charity in Dunnock Way as storage. The building is owned by Oxford City Council.

They also have upcoming talks with the Dovecote building in Greater Leys, which is owned by the Leys Housing Consortium.

Mr Gibson added: “Sadly at the moment it doesn’t look like we are getting any closer. But the hunt continues.”

* Can you help find the club a new home? Call Rhianne Pope on 01865 425411