A DUDLEY councillor waved a flag in celebration as work on a Dudley Wood BMX track finally started.

After 12 months of discussions and promises about the new track, contractors have finally started work on the Black Horse site, off Dudley Wood Road.

It is hoped it will only take three weeks to transform the current facility into a state-of-the-art track.

Dudley Wood Councillor Bryan Cotterill, has been campaigning for over 12 months for Dudley Council to provide facilities for the youngsters in the area, and said he is “absolutely delighted with the commencement of the work”.

Mr Cotterill said: ”I said I believed in miracles and since we have been waiting for 12 months for this to finally start, I felt this was an occasion which deserved a flag being raised.”

He added: “The young people are delighted, they can’t wait for it to be finished. It will be a huge benefit for the children of Dudley Wood and Saltwells. It will find them something to do - they go down there in their droves to play on that site, it is very, very popular.”

Once the track is set up, Councillor Cotterill hopes to set up BMX leagues as well as getting professional BMX riders involved as well.

A spokesman for Dudley Council said: “We are pleased that work on the BMX track has started on time and it will be completed on schedule by the middle of May.”