Northampton Town stadium: Work resumes on East Stand

Work to revamp Sixfields' East Stand had ground to a halt because of a dispute

Builders will resume work on a football stadium nine months after they downed tools in a dispute over payment.

Northampton Town chairman Kelvin Thomas said phase one of the redevelopment would be completed by early April.

The East Stand at Sixfields will include 1,924 seats when completed.

Police are investigating alleged financial irregularities associated with the development. It relates to a period of time before Mr Thomas took over the running of the club.

Northampton Town's East Stand remains unfinished

In 2013, Northampton Borough Council lent the club £10.25m for the work, none of which was completed.

Former club chairman David Cardoza was arrested in January as part of the investigation, which police say is ongoing.

Mr Thomas, who took over the club at the end of last year, said the Cobblers had worked closely with builders Buckingham Group.

"It is important to us all that the club has a four-sided stadium again and this is the beginning of that work," he said.

He hopes work on the East Stand will be completed in time for the final home games of the season, so the club can benefit from "possible increased income".

Kelvin Thomas says a conference centre and a hotel could still be built

Planning permission for the redevelopment of the stadium was granted in November 2013.

It will increase the capacity of the ground to just under 8,000. A conference centre and hotel might also be built as part of the redevelopment.

Work began in May 2014, but has been halted on a number of occasions, most recently in May 2015.