A TOWN'S football pitches are so wet that its teams have hardly been able to play a home game all season.

Now, Ferryhill Town Council is hoping to drain the fields to avoid a backlog of games towards the end of the season.

Ferryhill has 12 teams playing on pitches at three locations. They include Ferryhill Athletic of the Wearside League, Sunday league teams, an over-40s side and youth teams.

The two pitches at Mainsforth have been waterlogged all season, only one of the pitches at Dean Bank has been playable for the odd game, and King George V playing field has also been out of action.

Jamie Corrigan, executive officer of Ferryhill Town Council, said: "The 12 teams which use our pitches have now got a massive backlog of fixtures and it is a concern to them.

"So what we're going to do is hire a machine to try to help with the drainage on pitches."

If that fails at Mainsforth, the ground will be remarked so that at least one pitch can be used on the driest section of the field.

The council will also be making an application to the Football Association for funding to provide adequate drainage.