Brighton Bears owner Romek Kriwald is on the lookout for new investors after admitting that his partnership with former Olympic gold medallist Tessa Sanderson is over.

Sanderson, who won the javelin at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, acquired a 50 per cent holding in the club last July after Kriwald had been in sole control for six months following the departure of Christian Hamilton in January, 2000.

Sanderson attended the pre-season club launch, but her appearances since then have been rarer than Bears' victories.

Kriwald admitted today that he hasn't spoken to her for over three months and that, as far as he was concerned, her involvement in the club is over.

"I've called a close on the whole episode," he said. "I don't think that Tessa is in a position to fulfill her part of our agreement so I'm now looking for new people to come on board."

Kriwald has reassured fans that the club will carry on even if no new backers are found.

But he believes that Bears are an attractive proposition for any potential investor despite their disappointing form on the court which has seen them win just six games in the southern conference this season.

He points to the work being done by commercial consultant Richard Parker, who joined the operation in December, which is already helping to raise the club's profile in the county.

Bears play four home matches at the Brighton Centre next month and the crowd at each game will be swelled by 600 schoolchildren thanks to a sponsorship deal with East and West Sussex health authorities.

The youngsters will be picked up from their schools, taken to a basketball clinic at Sussex University and then a fleet of 25 coaches will take them onto the Brighton Centre for the evening's action.

Parker, who is based in Birmingham, is working on a part-time basis and Kriwald wants the job to become permanent, whether Parker is doing it or not.

"Because of Richard's work, particularly in the schools, our gates are picking up and by the middle of March we shall be playing to crowds of 2000 plus," he said.

"But it's a 12 month job. We need someone to work throughout the year and be based here and it's a job best done by someone local."

Bears may be struggling to win matches, but the professionalism of their off-court organisation has won them plenty of admirers.

The Brighton Centre is reckoned by the league to be the best venue in the country and Brighton and Hove Council have done their bit to encourage the return of the club to the city after their 14 year exile in Worthing, investing nearly £100,000 including half that sum on a new floor at the Centre.

Kriwald heads an operation of 50 people, 12 of whom are full-time including coach Mark Dunning and the playing staff.

Since joining the club in 1999, he has invested a six-figure sum in the club. But he now feels he will need help if the club are to fully exploit their potential.

"One thing to reiterate is that the club is not going anywhere whatever happens, but we need to take the Bears to another level," he said.

"I'm totally open minded about the future. If someone came in and offered to buy 90 per cent of the capital in the club I wouldn't rule it out as long as it was a good thing for the Bears.

"Nothing would please me more than having someone to bounce ideas off and with the same enthusiasm as me to see this thing succeed. They don't even need to be local.

"We've got a great location for top level professional sport, we're reaching out more and more into our community and the club could really take off. I'm sure there are people out there who share my vision of what this club could achieve."

BEARS are enjoying their best run of the season with two wins out of three ahead of tonight's home game against Birmingham Bullets. It's the last match of the season at the Triangle, Burgess Hill and tip off is 8pm.