Northants Cricket club given £250,000 loan by borough council Published duration 22 October 2015

image copyright Getty Images image caption Northamptonshire Cricket Club is seeking finance from a number of sources

Northants Cricket is to be given a loan of up to £250,000 by Northampton Borough Council.

The council agreed initially to lend the county club up to £100,000 to help it get on a "stable footing" , but said more could be made available.

Northants Cricket has agreed to repay the loan within five years, but declined to comment on the deal.

Mary Markham, the Conservative leader of the council, said: "With over a century of tradition, the club is one of the oldest still playing in the County Championship, and a big part of life in Northampton.

"However, cricket is changing and that means the club must restructure off the pitch if they are to have a future on it."

Danielle Stone, leader of the council's Labour group, said it supported the loan, but that it needed to be closely monitored.