A VILLAGE sports club's plans to improve facilities have received a setback.

A bid for cash from Sport England to bring the football pitch at the Miners' Welfare Trust ground in Etherley, near Bishop Auckland, back into use has been turned down.

However, officials are hoping a second bid, for £50,000 to fund new changing facilities, will prove successful.

They are confident better facilities will help repair the damaged reputation of the club, which was the scene of a late-night stabbing on Boxing Day last year.

In addition to the disused football field, there is a cricket pitch and an all-weather arena with basketball facilities at the ground.

Although Etherley CC no longer runs senior teams, there is junior cricket at under-11 and under-13 level, while Bishop Auckland side King James CC uses the ground for its fixtures in the Darlington and District League.

Etherley CC welfare officer David Dinsdale said the club had been told by Sport England the bid to improve the football pitch had failed because the grant-making scheme had been oversubscribed.

But he said efforts would continue to bring football back to the club.

“It's a beautiful facility – you could not wish for such nice surroundings and it is there for people to use.”

He said it would not require too much work to bring the pitch back up to scratch, and if there was genuine interest from a team wanting to play on it, further attempts to find funding from other grant-making bodies could be made.

He said it was hoped the £50,000 bid to the Sport England Inspired Facilities scheme for a new changing facilities would be judged on the gound's multi-use potential and not just as a cricket pitch.

“We are looking at the bigger picture. We are wanting the backing to bring the place back up to standard and are trying to attract people to come down to such a beautiful setting,” said Mr Dinsdale.

The club currently runs junior cricket training sessions between 6pm and 8pm on a Thursday night, and Mr Dinsdale said anyone interested in playing the game would be made welcome.

“We need to strengthen the under-13s, but we don't turn any kids away. We get quite a range of ages coming along and there is even a tuck shop available as the village no longer has a shop, all of which is done voluntarily," said Mr Dinsdale.