Two top Brighton and Hove athletes have threatened to quit the club, if facilities at Withdean Stadium are not improved.

Claire Smithson and Sam Redd have delivered a damning verdict on their club's training headquarters.

Smithson, eighth in the World Under-20 Championships discus last year, said: "I think the facilities at Withdean are appalling. You go to other arenas and their discus cages are fine and the tracks aren't covered in dirt.

"Here, Sam's run-up is covered with big lumps of dirt. The only reason I'd go anywhere else is because of the state of the stadium.

"Everyone deserves a chance to train on a good track. No matter what standard people are, they need good facilities to better themselves."

Redd is the British under-17 javelin champion.

She said: "I have been a member at Brighton and Hove since I started and I like competing for them. But I have actually thought of changing clubs just to get a better place to train.

"I am not allowed to train at Withdean on certain days. In my training programme I am supposed to throw on a Sunday but I have had to change that and my coach isn't happy at all.

"I think, by word of mouth, people are not going to come and train at the Withdean. I wouldn't recommend it because of the facilities."

Claire's father George, who is also her coach, said: "When my daughter's throwing the discus, I stand by the cage and let the runners go by first. Only then does Claire throw because we don't think it's safe enough.

"For the last 18 months the shot putt board that you brace your foot against hasn't been solid. My daughter can't train here and we go to Crystal Palace on a Thursday."

Mike Hall, general manager of Ecovert South, the company responsible for maintaining the council's facilities, is concerned.

He said: "We don't want to see any athletes leave the region and we don't want them to go.

"We have a regular forum with the athletics club and there's a users forum where we are prepared to take any advice.

"We are under pressure from the athletics club with the work we're doing on the pitch spilling onto the track. But they have benefited from the Albion being there. There is improved hospitality, toilets and brand new floodlighting. They have everything to stage major athletics tournaments."

Hall disclosed the council are looking at making further improvements. He said: "They are looking at putting in a new hammer cage because the IAAF regulations have changed.

"We are working hard to give the athletes the very best. Our contract manager, Martin Burholt, is a former national decathlete and he has a natural empathy with athletes.

"The council has a scheme that supports international athletes by letting them use the facilities as often as they like. We support that, but people cannot have unrestricted access.

"The stadium simply cannot be open to all people at all times. The restrictions are only those of safety and the state of the pitch."