A PLAYING fields site in Hyndburn is to be upgraded in a £1million scheme.

And campaigners behind the scheme are already more than halfway towards raising the necessary funds.

A joint bid has been made by the Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School, Hippings Methodist Primary and St Mary’s Football Club in Oswaldtwistle to transform Heys Lane Playing Fields.

Revamp plans would see the field’s drainage corrected, fences erected and four new high quality football pitches complete with a brick-built pavilion containing changing rooms for each pitch and a community room.

A funding windfall of £400,000 from Lancashire County Council, mean the schools and club now have 60 per cent of the funds needed together with £105,000 from the high school and £75,000 from Hyndburn Borough Council.

The funds raised so far mean it is now possible to put forward a bid for match funding from the Football Association for the remaining amount needed.

Rhyddings headteacher Paul Trickett said: “The new fields are desperately needed and would be available for the whole community to use.

“We haven’t been able to make use of Heys Lane Playing Fields for more than 10 years and it would be fantastic to see them brought back into use.”

County Coun Dorothy Westell, who secured the funds from LCC, said: “It has been a long standing ambition for me, the club and the schools to provide much needed sports facilities for the area and these funds will play a crucial part in securing the match funding needed.”

Hyndburn Borough Council leader Coun Peter Britcliffe added: “It is incredible news for Oswaldtwistle.

"It will regenerate an important area of the town and will provide much needed facilities.”