ST HELENS Council has spoken with 14 interested parties over a potential purchase of Sherdley Park golf course, a town hall meeting heard.

However, any possible purchases must take place before a deadline of March 31, otherwise the course will close.

Last year the golf course and driving range at Sherdley Park were placed under review.

The news of the potential axing of the course caused much dismay among golfers.

The 18-hole course, which costs £230,000 a year to operate, is the only municipal in the borough and home to St Helens Golf Club and a private club.

The council previously stated there has not been a decision to close the course with an effort to come up with a "sustainable model going forward".

At an Environment, Regeneration, Housing, Culture and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Panel meeting on Wednesday last week (January 17), it was confirmed that interested organisations have made contact with the council.

The majority of parties were described as a "small one-man band of golf professionals" with the others made up of "major commercial operators of golf who operate courses in the area".

Cabinet member for libraries and leisure, Cllr Sue Murphy, said: "Fourteen companies have shown an interest in moving into the golf course."

She added an "outside company" has been employed to look at tender documents, after there were delays due to staffing shortages.

Cllr Murphy added: "We are hopeful someone is going to take(it) but if they don't the golf course will close and revert back to parkland."

American Golf and North West Golf have been previously linked with the course and the Ian Woosnam Academy has publicly expressed interest.

At the hearing Cllr Richard McCauley asked for clarification that the course would remain a municipal, which was described as "fundamental" to any possible deal.

Panel chair Cllr Martin Bond asked for clarification that the council was confident there would be enough time to strike a deal ahead of the deadline.