The closure of the Julie Rose stadium may have been averted after an agreement was reached on its future.

It was agreed on Monday night that the lease on the stadium will pass to Ashford Borough Council. It is not yet known how the move will affect the stadium's long term future.

The council, the stadium's main funder and the Julie Rose Stadium Trust, which was responsible for the stadium and employs Ashford Leisure Trust for the day-to-day running of it, have been trying to reach an agreement for five months.

More than 500 people took part in a protest at the stadium on Monday.

On Friday afternoon staff were told their jobs would going and the stadium will shut if an agreement is not reached by midnight Tuesday. Fitness classes were also cancelled from April 1.

• For more on this and other news from the Ashford area go to kentishexpress.co.uk >>>