A club which offers underprivileged children in Oxford the chance to go rowing on the River Thames has revealed it needs £1m to keep afloat.

The Falcon Rowing Club runs schemes for youngsters living on the city's estates, pensioners and ethnic minorities, and aims to broaden the appeal of rowing beyond its traditional support.

But the club needs to find the money to pay for a new boathouse, on the banks of the Thames, off Donnington Bridge Road.

Club chairman Peter Travis appealed for Oxford City Council to meet a third of the funding gap at a south east area committee meeting on Monday. The city council is due to set its budget next month.

Mr Travis said: "If something isn't done about the present building, sooner or later this facility and provision - which has been around since 1869 - will be lost.

"We are by no means a traditional rowing club. Last summer we attracted lots of young people from the estates such as Blackbird Leys and Rose Hill.

"It is a very old building. Years ago these kind of things were paid for by barbecues, cake sales and fundraising, but the sort of sums we are being asked to find is difficult these days.

"We want proper facilities for young people and the community as a whole."

The club has 240 members, aged between nine and 70. It offers the opportunity for children to row for £2 at a time, and also supports canoeing and kayaking.

City councillor Stuart Craft said: "Rowing is traditionally a middle class sport and it's great it's being opened up to working-class youths.

"We are surrounded by some wonderful rivers and a lot of the youth spend their lives not going to these areas and hopefully we can find some money out of the budget."

Anyone interested in taking up rowing or helping the boathouse appeal can call 01865 727388 of visit the club's website at www.falconrcc.co.uk