A PARISH council which has bought its own sports field is now planning to spend £100,000 on creating twenty-first century facilities there.

Chairman Coun Brian Anderson said Heighington Parish Council had bought the field in order to benefit all villagers, at a cost of £24,000.

"This will be paid back out of the village precept over the next 20 years," he added.

The council is now applying to the Football Association for a grant of £100,000 with the aim of providing pitches, a clubhouse, changing facilities and statutory fencing requirements.

"We are in the early stages of the application," said Coun Anderson. "But it is looking very favourable."

One of the conditions of qualifying for such a grant is that the council needs to provide a quarter of the sum asked for. With this in mind, it is requesting residents and the business community to rally round in support of the application by making a cash donation towards the required £25,000.

"In support of our application for grant aid, it is imperative that we receive a large mandate from the entire village," said Coun Anderson."

To this end he and his colleagues have been busy delivering a joint questionnaire and appeal form to each house in the village, explaining the current situation and giving a choice of three sports - football, cricket or rugby - to put in order of priority.

Coun Anderson said if all went to plan the overall vision was to increase the facilities to include tennis courts, a bowling green, a playground and roller-skating facilities.

"The field is 9 acres, so there is plenty of room," he added. "Cattle have been grazed on it, but it has previously been used as a sports field by an American company which used to be based here.

"Although we want to create facilities for the whole community, the emphasis is to create something for the children of the village.

"The current playground is on a slope, whereas this is flat, and we would rather spend money here than on doing the old one up."

The parish council is hoping to raise the necessary £25,000 within the next 12 months, by which time it will have presented a full case to the grant body, with the hope of a positive response.

Coun Anderson said that forms and donations, made payable to Heighington Parish Council, would be collected within 14 days.

"Without villagers' help we will miss this great opportunity to provide the facilities for sports and leisure activities for all the people of Heighington," he added.