THE Mounts Bay story took another twist yesterday when former president Michael Leah stepped in to try and save the stricken club.

Leah, who led the club to unprecedented success before stepping aside in May, was not present at Thursday's Extraordinary General Meeting when club officials decided the club would fold.

However, he has been working behind the scenes in an unofficial capacity to set up a link with National League Two neighbours Redruth.

Leah will now meet officials from Redruth on Monday in an attempt to hammer out an arrangement that would see Mounts Bay compete in National Two South this season with a side comprising mainly Redruth second XV or Academy players at the Recreation Ground.

The two sides' fixture lists would allow both teams to play at The Rec on alternate weekends. However, it is unclear how Bay's continued existence would be subsidised, with current debts said to total in excess of £30,000.

Thursday night's decision to close down Mounts Bay was based an the club's "financially untenable" outlook and lack of playing resources, with their new season due to start in just eight weeks' time on September 5 at Ealing.

However, Leah said yesterday: "We've got a meeting on Monday night with Redruth with a view to going up there for a ground-share. We've got to get some details from them and them from us.

"It was best if I stayed away for Thursday's EGM rather than making it worse by falling out with everyone. But I feel as though I have to step back into the breach a little bit because the interim committee who took over from me are not as well known in rugby circles as myself and some of the ex-club officials are.

"Hopefully we can convince Redruth of the benefits to it. The plus for us is that we remain as a club – to me that is vital – and Redruth keep the tills ringing every week. They are away when we're supposed to be at home and it also brings their development players on because they could be blooded in a better grade of rugby."

Any arrangement between Redruth and Mounts Bay would have to be confirmed before Bay constitutionally confirm the decision to fold at their Annual General Meeting on July 23.

Leah added: "I'm cautiously optimistic it will work but we just have to go up there and fine tune it with their officials and iron out any possible problems.

"I'm not saying it is going to be a smooth ride, but with a bit of work we can certainly work things out. Then, on Tuesday, we're hoping we can announce this is the outcome and move on from there.

"I'm looking at getting some kind of squad together next Thursday and start training – that's hopefully what we'll see. It's still up in the air. One minute Bay are definitely going to fold, then not.

"I hope it can be saved and I've been talking to Redruth on the side, hopefully some good will come out of it. Failing that, then I'm afraid that will be it."

Redruth head coach Nigel Hambly said he was prepared to listen to Leah, but any arrangement would have to be in the best interests of his club.

Hambly said: "We were approached and director of rugby Dave Penberthy and secretary Roger Watson had a meeting with Cornwall RFU and people from Mounts Bay, including Michael Leah.

"The meeting on Monday is pretty much public knowledge now and we'll sit down and discuss it with them. Mounts Bay's fixture list is what appeals to us – we've got a very good development team and we struggle to get them fixtures.

"I've been in charge for eight years and my biggest bugbear is our second-team fixture list. We've got good players and we need them playing rugby every week to make the first team even more competitive. Also, having rugby at Redruth every week would be tremendous for the club financially, but at the moment there are more question marks than there are answers.

"We've got to make sure it's viable for the club, we're not putting Redruth at risk to help Mounts Bay and, logistically, possibly player-wise, it might be difficult. It's hard to say what will happen until we get all the facts."

Leah's plan for Mounts Bay, who won seven promotions in eight seasons after starting out in Cornwall Two in 2000, would come under close scrutiny from the RFU, with a 15-point deduction still a possibility should their financial problems not be solved satisfactorily.

Leah and his management committee stood down from the club in an official capacity in May as Bay's financial plight became apparent.

Local businessman Leah was no longer able to subsidise the club's progress on the field after his own circumstances were hit by the credit crunch.

Bay were relegated from National League Two at the end of last season. After standing down as president in May, Leah said: "I've certainly done my bit and I can't do any more. It's cost me my business – that's how much I've put into it."

The biggest obstacles to an unlikely Bay revival will be striking a deal to suit themselves and Redruth, and finding the finances to overturn their debt while maintain a playing squad this season.