Cricket club needs thousands to fund flood-fight

Captain Harry Bolland and groundsman Andy McIlroy are appealing for help to improve the ground

A village cricket club has launched a crowdfunding appeal for thousands of pounds to protect its field from flooding.

Bomere Heath Cricket Club, near Shrewsbury, said it had suffered from a soggy pitch over a number of years, and needed improved drainage.

First team captain Harry Bolland said pre-season preparation in March had been a challenge: "The whole area we're standing on was just mud."

"It's just cracked and mud now. There's no grass on the ground - it's damage that's going to be very hard to repair," he added.

The club needs to raise £12,500 to contribute alongside much larger grants from other funding bodies.

"We've raised some money ourselves, I think two grand here, and then about £300 already from the crowdfunder, which is brilliant.

"We're doing loads of different social activities like the summer camp and bonfire which will bring money in," said Mr Bolland.

Long-term flooding has left parts of the field without grass and hard to maintain

Andy McIlroy, the club's groundsman for "donkey's years", said: "The club moved to its current site from further up the village about 25 years ago. The ground we've got is reclaimed farmland.

"Over the recent years, the ground's become worse and worse with the change in the climate and the more rain we're getting during the winter, which meant we lost a number of games at the start of this season due to the ground being flooded."

But Mr McIlroy said the village was proud of the facility and determined to keep it at the heart of village life.

"I think we've probably got one of the best facilities for a small village in north Shropshire - we're quite proud of it."

He added: "It's become a right community hub."