Some of Scotland's champion skaters fear they will be left out in the cold when the sports centre they use is replaced.

The popular Magnum Centre in Irvine is to be demolished to make way for housing, a hotel and a golf course.

It will be replaced in some shape or form at a sports field nearer the town centre, but users of the ice rink - including Olympic competitors as well as Scottish and British champions - have been unable to get an assurance that a new rink will be included.

Hundreds of sports, leisure and ice-disco skaters use the rink for a pastime that has surged in popularity of the sport following the Dancing on Ice television series.

Andy Walker, whose 13-year- old daughter, Alison, is the Scottish speed skating champion for her age group, says her progress could be put at risk by North Ayrshire Council's urban regeneration programme, which has earmarked the Magnum's prime harbour-side site.

"They are very vague about it. All they are saying is that the Magnum is going to be knocked down. They are not saying where any new facilities are going to be or whether they are going to be replaced or not," he said.

"We have heard there are plans for a swimming pool, and for smaller sports complexes around Ayrshire.

"I am concerned that the speed skating club, Ayrshire Flyers, will lose its base - we have about 40 members."

He added that the figure skating club had 100 members, with a waiting list of 80, and that the "snow babies" classes for young children had 100.

"The Flyers pay about £40,000 a year for ice-time, there are two ice-hockey times who together pay about £50,000, and the figure skaters pay about £10,000.

"On top of that, on a Friday night you will see as many as 400 youngsters queueing to get into the Ice Disco - all skaters who might otherwise be hanging about street corners."

The Flyers were formed in 2001 and enjoyed almost instant success with Stephanie Smith winning the Junior British Open Title. Jennifer Miller won the same title in 2003, breaking two British records in the process.

The club is coached by Archie Marshall, who competed and coached at six Olympics, and Alex Connell, also an Olympic competitor and ex-Scotland coach.

Mr Marshall said: "No-one has seen plans that include an ice rink, and the deadline for expressions of interest in tendering is this weekend. Yet from what I gather the ice rink is the one part of the Magnum that makes money."

North Ayrshire Leisure Ltd, an agency paid by the council to run leisure services, said it was "too early" to consider what facilities might be provided if the Magnum was replaced.

"The Magnum Leisure Centre opened in the mid 1970s and has been a valuable asset for the local community attracting hundreds of thousands of customers on an annual basis," a spokeswoman said.

"Developments over the years have included installation of water rides, soft play facilities and the creation of the leisure pool. Although demand for these facilities has been affected by an increase in the number of leisure facilities in neighbouring areas, the centre continues to attract around 500,000 visits each year.

"Over the past seven years North Ayrshire Leisure Limited has invested in excess of £1.5m in improving and upgrading building and mechanical systems as well as services available. However, given the age of the centre, further investment is required in the coming years to maintain and develop facilities available and to consider replacement for some that have closed.

"To assist in this, the company is undertaking a review of the Magnum Leisure Centre to consider the suitability of facilities for existing and future customers as well future investment requirements."