YOUNG fighters will be boxing clever in an upgraded gym thanks to a £1,000 grant.

Dorchester Amateur Boxing Club, which is based at the former brewery site in Weymouth Avenue, secured the money from Magna Housing Association.

Chairman of the association's eastern area tenant panel Dave King said the panel is allocated a community fund that can be used for projects put forward by tenants to help improve their local area.

Mr King said: "We were approached by the boxing club's chairman Steve Scott who explained what they were trying to achieve by keeping kids off the street and the problems they were having getting funding.

"He asked if we could get involved as a number of the boxing club members are tenants' children.

"This was explained to Magna officers and put to the area panel who were 100 per cent behind the project as we felt it was a good idea."

He added: "It was a great pleasure to be able to give the club £1,000."

The grant, which will be put towards an upgrade of equipment, comes just weeks after the club signed a three-year kit sponsorship deal worth £1,200 with streetwear shop Steptoes.

Steve Scott said the latest grant was a huge boost to the boys who train there.

He said: "I would like to thank the members of the panel for their generous donation which we are going to use to buy new equipment or upgrade the gym.

"We've got new members joining up every week, which we're really pleased about, and getting money like this really helps."