THE revival of football on the green has seen two of a North Yorkshire village’s oldest institutions join forces.

The first school at Pickhill, near Thirsk, was recorded in 1739 and the current building dates back to 1862.

It overlooks the village green which was used for sports, but a lack of male teachers and a beck across the green meant very few football matches have been played and none for many years.

But in 1994 the beck was filled in and last year the school started regular football lessons with parent Kevin English acting as coach and the parish council buying some new goalposts.

They have played a handful of away games, but last week, with the grass cut and pitch marked out, the first home game for many years took place.

And to mark the event a new strip was presented to the team before the game by Edward and Janet Boynton, owners of the village’s Nag’s Head Inn - which itself is more than 200-years-old.

Head teacher Christine Gabbott said: "The children really love their football. They have been training twice a week for the past year and have really come on.

"It’s great that we can now play some home games on the green because it is something for the children to work towards and it brings the village together."

Mr Boynton, a former pupil at the school, said: "I think it’s great that they are now playing football at the school and I like to support the local community.

"When I was a pupil here we just played rounders, we never kicked a football until we went to the big school."