Plans for athletics to set up home at Twickenham have been received cautiously by the president of the sport's ruling body.

UK Athletics chief David Hemery says he would prefer a purpose-built national Athletics stadium rather than using Twickenham or a re-vamped Crystal Palace.

The search is on for a base for track and field after the Government announced that the new look Wembley stadium will be reserved for football and rugby league.

Hemery says the west of London is a better option for the new athletics stadium, which would be used in the bid to stage the 2005 World Championships.

He has hinted that land near Heathrow airport may be suitable.

His comments were in response to an offer from rugby union chiefs to adapt Twickenham to stage athletics meetings.

"The RFU management board have decided to continue discussions with the Government regarding the possibility of Twickenham Stadium hosting athletics events," an RFU statement said.

"A feasibility study conducted by the RFU has confirmed that Twickenham stadium could host athletics meetings subject to planning consent, a redevelopment of the south stand and the necessary investments required to improve the existing transport infrastructure."

New tube station

The plans to convert Twickenham have been given a cautious welcome by the leader of the local Borough Council.

But Sir David Williams says transport links would have to be improved and believes a new tube station is necessary

Athletics have £20 of lottery money to spend on finding a new home.

That is unlikely to be enough to build a stadium from scratch, unless the sport could find further external support, so a partnership with an existing stadium, such as Twickenham, is believed to be the most probable outcome.

UK Athletics have a month to come to an agreement.

They have until January 31 to submit their final written bid for the 2005 World Championships.

David Moorcroft, chief executive of UK Atheltics, said: "It is going to be difficult to start this process a month before the bid has got to be submitted without any certainty of a venue.

"Clearly there is a lot of work to do. There is a willingness to come up with an acceptable outcome but clearly it isn't an ideal solution."