SPORTS teams in Twickenham are set to benefit from Olympic standard facilities, thanks to a £500,000 boost.

St Mary's University College, in Twickenham, has been given a grant from Sport England's Community Investment Fund towards the cost of redeveloping and extending its sports complex in time for 2012.

Them money will help to fund the cost of the new build part of the project that will include a sports hall, a large strength and conditioning suite and more changing rooms.

It is the final chunk of the £8m needed to create the facility, that will link to the existing hall and original 1960s sports block, which will undergo refurbishment.

Work is already under way and is scheduled to finish in summer 2011, in time to welcome the South African Olympic squad for their first pre-games training camp.

Professor Richard Fisher, head of St Mary's 2012 preparations said: "It has been a long process but now the final part of the funding is in place and St Mary's world class reputation in sport will grow even stronger with this wonderful new centre."

Prof Fisher said he hoped the complex would also encourage the borough's young and disabled people to take part in sport.