SPORTY Prestwich residents could benefit from a piece of land destined to be shared between two schools.

Bury North MP Ivan Lewis says the former Thorndyke Walk site might be open to the community at weekends.

Services at the former adult education centre are being moved into the town's library in the autumn. Governors at Park View Primary School and the Manchester Jewish Grammar School, which is becoming a regular high school, both want the site to create sports facilities.

The Guide understands that Bury Council would receive £100,000 if it gave the land to the new high school. Councillors have twice deferred making a decision pending further talks.

But Mr Lewis said that both sets of governors have agreed in principle to sharing access, if not ownership, of the land and he is "very optimistic" a deal will be in place by the new school term.

He is also confident that it will include sports facilities to be used by residents outside school hours.