The Bristol Schools' Track & Field Championships is being held today – but in Bath.

Organisers have been forced to switch the meeting to the University in Bath due to the inadequate state of the track and field facilities at its normal home in Whitchurch.

More than 10 schools from the Bristol area are entered and there are expected to be 400 children taking part.

"We normally hold the championships at Whitchurch, but there are so many problems there it is not really suitable," said Lisa Blacow, competition manager at Wesport, which helps organise the meeting.

"If it happened to rain on Thursday – and the forecast doesn't look promising – then we could not use the track because of the surface. In previous years when it was wet we could only use standing throws and if you didn't have spikes (shoes) then you would slip over on the surface.

"It just wasn't ideal and we didn't want schools turning up at Whitchurch to find that we had to call off the meeting."

Blacow said they had looked at the Yate track, used by Bristol & West AC for their 'home' matches, but chose Bath as it was equally accessible, particularly for schools in the south of the city.

Bristol & West AC chairman Mike Down said the decision by Bristol Schools to take one of the main meetings of the schools calendar to Bath was another shocking indictment of the facilities in Bristol.

"We had officers from UK Athletics visit Whitchurch and they said that to get the track certified for competition it would need up to £250,000 spent on it," said Down.

"If it is not certified for competitions then what does that say about health and safety? In the meantime we are still waiting for the new provisions in Whitehall.

"But to be honest, it wouldn't surprise me that when the Kenyan team comes to Bristol to prepare for the 2012 Olympic Games there still won't be a certified track available for competition in the city, which would be a disgrace."

Jo Pike, who is on the PE staff at Ashton Park School, said the decision to use Bath had created a lot of problems.

"It is a nightmare," said Pike. "Getting pupils out of school is hard enough with exams going on, but to travel as far as Bath means you have to take them out for the whole day rather than an afternoon.

"There is the cost as well. Now we have to hire a coach for the day rather than use the minibus."

In response a Bristol City Council statement read: "Whitchurch track has not failed any health and safety inspection. However, because of its condition its use has been for some time restricted to one specific local training club. As a result we do not let the track out for school use.

"The city council is committed to delivering first-class sports facilities and is working with the City Academy to develop a new, purpose-built training track in Whitehall."

Bristol Grammar School are heading to Newport in Wales for their school sports because Whitchurch is unsuitable and the track in Yate is already booked.