FEARS are growing that Preston's new £12 million out-of-town sports complex could become a massive white elephant as project chiefs battle to secure good public transport links to the site.

Students at the University of Central Lancashire fear the new complex, due to open in September, may be out of bounds to them because it is three miles away from the main campus in Preston town centre.

When plans for the £12 million project in Cottam were unveiled in 1996, Lottery bosses were so impressed that they gave £7.9 million of sports fund money to help the project.

The 60-acre site will house 10 football and rugby pitches, a cricket ground, massive running track and all weather surface, and will be used by both students and the community when they eventually open.

But, with just a few months left before the site is due to open, concerns have been expressed that students and the public may find the site inaccessible.

Now university bosses say they plan to hold discussions with the council to see if a route can be amended or created to make sure people come to the new complex, which stretches over 60 acres.

Kevin Singleton, at the university's campus services department, said: "We plan to approach the Students Union to make sure there is transport provision for students.

"We would like to see a bus service re-routed or possibly made more regular."

Nigel Featham, of Preston Bus, said: "Our Ingol services do run close to it but we have not yet had discussions with the university. We would be interested in looking into it."

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