Keighley Cougars have issued a rallying call to the town as they face losing vital funding.

The rugby league club – which has won back a place in the Championship after securing promotion last season – is set to have its £20,000-a-year grant from Bradford Council axed.

Now the club is urging the public to support efforts to win a change of heart from the Council, which is looking to scrap the money – mostly spent on the club’s pioneering community work – as part of attempts to save £31 million on its annual budget.

Cougars chairman Gary Fawcett said he was shocked last month to hear that the grant could be lost.

But the Council this week insisted the Cougars had known the money could be at risk for the past 12 months.

Similar £20,000 grants to Bradford Bulls and Bradford City were cut by the Council in 2010.

Mr Fawcett told the Keighley News: “This came out of the blue. I didn’t even know about it – one of the fans told me.

“Having £20,000 taken from our budget will have a disproportionate effect on the Cougars’ finances as the club is essentially now being managed as a break-even enterprise.

“The Cougars are clearly on the up and generating some excitement in Keighley which in turn should generate some optimism.”

Mr Fawcett called on Keighley people to rally round, “not just fans, but the people of Keighley who want something from the community that is positive and for the good of Keighley”.

The Council has asked residents and organisations for their views on the proposals. The consultation is at bradford.gov.uk/bmdc/ Consultations/priorities_for_2012_2013_budget.

Mr Fawcett said the grant had been given for at least the past ten years and was expected as usual in June this year.

As a result the club included the grant in its 2012 budget, submitted last November for approval by the Rugby Football League.

Mr Fawcett said much of the grant was spent on the Cougars’ community projects including sending players into local schools.

He said that in return for the cash the Cougars had to promote the Council and its projects, such as physical activity campaign B-active, at Cougar Park, on players’ kit and in match programmes.

Coun Andrew Thornton, the Council’s executive member for environment and sport, said: “Keighley Cougars have been aware for around 12 months that the Council is having to make difficult decisions regarding the budget, and that funding could be at risk. Council officers have had several meetings with trustees from the club regarding this.”