The decision has been made by British Athletics as part of plans to concentrate resources on its Loughborough University Centre, and it has meant that Arnold's assistant coach, James Hillier, has been made redundant..

Arnold, 76, is seeing out his four-year contract, which ends on December 31, but will continue part-time in the lead-up to next year’s International Association of Athletics Federations’ (IAAF) World Championships in London, working with athletes including Eilidh Doyle. who won a Rio Olympic 4x400 metre bronze medal along with Emily Diamond, who also does training at Bath.

Both Doyle and Diamond will continue to train in Bath rather than moving to Lougborough.

It is understood that the University will help with the funding of Arnold’s ongoing coaching.

“Despite this news, athletics will be staying at Bath,” a spokesperson told insidethegames.

“Malcolm will be coaching a couple of days a week through to London 2017, and what’s really positive is that Emily and Eilidh, as well as other athletes such as Dave King, will be staying.

“We will have talks with UK Athletics about what that will look like – these athletes will continue to be supported by UKA as they use our high class facilities.”

Speaking to the Bath Chronicle, Hillier admitted the news came as "a bit of a shock".

"We both though that after our athletes won two medals at the Olympics in Rio that would at least take us through to the World Championships in London next year," he said.

"But British athletics have decided not to carry on with supporting the centre at Bath University, so both Malcolm and I have been made redundant.

"As to why they have made that decision we have not heard anything to be honest and we have not received a reason, financial or otherwise.

"But it seems now that in the future everything will be based at Loughborough University, so maybe it is just a case of being in the wrong place, at the wrong time. It is very disappointing."

Hillier stressed that Stephen Baddeley, the university's director of sport, has been supportive and proactive in trying to find a solution which would enable Hillier to keep on coaching the leading athletes at the venue.

"I certainly don't want to leave the group as there are some great athletes who have yet to fulfil their potential and are still improving," added Hillier.

"Additionally I don't want to stop coaching as I feel I am only just starting to get to my peak.

"But I need to pay the bills, so I have to find some work somewhere and at the moment I have no idea what I will do."

Arnold has disassociated himself from Hillier's comments.

Arnold was head coach when the UKA Regional Centre was established at Bath in 1999.

In January 2013, he was appointed lead hurdles coach with Hillier, a former Commonwealth Games 400m hurdler, as assistant.

Over the last 18 years, athletes training at the Bath centre have won close to 50 major medals.

Jason Gardener claimed an Olympic 4x100m gold in 2004 and world indoor 60m gold a year later.

In 2011, Dai Greene won the world 400m hurdles title in Daegu.