See inside the Telford boxing club appealing for support after burst pipe floods gym

Walls, floors and ceilings were damaged along with the boiler, and even the boxing ring was left sodden after the deluge at the Wellington Boxing Academy last weekend.

The gym has had to be closed, leaving both professional and amateur fighters with nowhere to train.

Coach Harry Fiaz said the flood began as a drip on the ceiling, which he first noticed after opening up on Saturday, December 2.

He said: "It was caused by the weather over last weekend, which froze the pipes. I came in during the morning and I noticed a drip in the ceiling, so I placed a bucket under it.

"A little later I could hear rain and I thought 'it is not raining so where's that coming from?' and then it came through the ceiling and was everywhere."

He added that the damage to the gym, which has had to be closed, was extensive.

"We need a new boiler, a new floor, a new ceiling, new insulation, a new boiler, even quite possibly a new boxing ring - even the treadmill was damaged," he said. "We have had a humidifier running constantly for the last week to dry it out, but we are not going to be able to have people train in there until at least we get a new floor in."

He said the situation means that their current professional and amateur fighters, who have competitive bouts lined up, have nowhere to train.

"We are very popular with families and kids too. We get around 40 to 80 people in most nights so we hope to reopen as soon as possible," added Harry.

He said the gym has launched a fundraiser for the charity run boxing club and hope to raise £8,000 in order that they can reopen.

"With the club having to close it has impacted all from our Amateur and Professional boxers, our boxing fitness members, vulnerable members and our regular Parkinson’s members," added Harry.

"Anyone that feels they could help in anyway by offering financial contributions we would welcome and be forever grateful so we can get our club community back open asap where everyone is welcome."

The fundraiser can be found at: justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Wellingtonboxingacademy2011