GREYHOUND racing could return the Stow as 'behind the scenes' talks progress between the owners and potential buyers.

Save our Stow campaigners announced today that it has suspended its campaign and "handed matters over to the financiers" because progress is being made in talks.

It said the moved is a “goodwill gesture” to the owners, housing association London and Quadrant, and to help progress a deal for the track to be sold and redeveloped into a track and leisure facility.

A spokesman said: “We are delighted to report that our recent local media campaign was hugely successful. This culminated in many thousands of letters being sent to the council in support of our aim to protect Walthamstow Stadium under planning law.

“It also gave us the opportunity to meet with the public and further cement the overwhelming local support that our campaign enjoys. We would like to thank all SOS supporters that helped with this.

“We are also pleased to advise that matters are progressing positively ‘behind the scenes’ and we have handed matters over to the financiers.

“As a gesture of goodwill to London and Quadrant and to help facilitate a potential deal to be made, SOS are suspending their campaign and we are making no further press comment until further notice.”

Save our Stow campaigners held a protest rally and collected more than 5,000 signatures in support of getting the Chingford Road stadium returned to greyhound racing.

It also recently published a string of full-page newspaper adverts criticising the stadium's owners, London and Quadrant, for keeping the site empty since it closed last August.

London and Quadrant said previously that no “substantive offer” had been made to buy the iconic stadium after a £12.2million offer was made by investors working with SOS to return greyhound racing.