Wealdstone FC has joined forces with a Football League club to get its long delayed stadium in Canons Park completed and opened.

And the deal with neighbouring Barnet FC heralds a major boost for football at all levels across the borough of Harrow.

The partnership, which was announced on Monday (July 10), means that the half-finished stadium and other facilities on the Prince Edward Playing Fields off Camrose Avenue should be in use in time for the 2007 season.

Stones will then have a home of their own for the first time since selling the club's Lower Mead ground in central Harrow to Tesco 15 years ago.

They are currently ground sharing with Northwood FC, their fourth such arrangement.

Barnet will get facilities to complement its Underhill stadium, including a training ground, a venue for community coaching, and a site for a planned football academy for boys and girls.

Barnet chairman Tony Kleanthous said his was a community club, and the partnership with Stones would enable it to fulfil a vision, bringing its experience of community football to the borough of Harrow.

Since Wealdstone's plans for the Prince Edward Playing Fields collapsed nearly two years ago, the site has been abandoned and the uncompleted buildings have become dilapidated.

Barnet FC's holding company will take over a 125-year lease from Harrow Council, which owns the fields, and, subject to planning approval and consultation with local residents, will complete the work, improving on the original plans and adding new facilities, including a second, "green stadium", health club, sports injury clinic, banqueting suite and cafe.

Stones would then rent the main stadium from Barnet FC and eventually, it is hoped, set up its own community programme to run alongside Barnet's.

Wealdstone director Howard Krais said: "We are delighted and very excited about working with Tony.

"We share his vision and are very committed to the community."

A public meeting to discuss the plans is to be held at Canons High School at 6.30pm on Tuesday, July 18.

Meetings for residents will be held at the playing fields from 6pm to 8pm on Wednesday the 19th and Friday the 21st.

The plan will be discussed by Harrow Council's cabinet on August 3.