A BOXING club has put out its first ever appeal for donations to help it replace old and battered equipment.

Michael Underwood, who runs Worcester City Amateur Boxing Club, said some of the kit in the Vincent Road gym is 30-years-old.

He is hoping to raise £5,000 to pay for new gear and transport costs to contests.

Mr Underwood, aged 67, said: "We are all volunteers, it costs us money to run the club.

"The money we collect on the door helps to run the place but it's not enough.

"We turned the heating off recently to save on electricity. Everyone keeps moaning but I say 'when you go out for a run, do you take an electric heater?'

"The money we are raising won't go towards electricity, but it shows we don't have money to spare."

Mr Underwood said the club wants to help people, however it needs the tools to do the job.

He added: "We are keeping lots of boys - and girls as well - out of trouble.

"We are not only teaching them how to box, we are teaching them discipline."

The club is hoping to buy heavy bags, floor to ceiling balls, maize balls, boxing gloves, groin protectors, head guards and fixings for speed balls.

Mr Underwood, who has been a trainer at the club for around 48 years, added: "We have some head guards but they are shabby now. I bought a couple home the other day and stitched them up.

"It's important they are high quality to prevent injuries. We have had to tape up some of the bags too. When you have someone hitting a bag six times a week they split and the chains wear out."

He added that some of the boxing bags have been taped up.

To donate to the club go on www.bit.ly/2Gcke7m