THE grandson of a mill owner who donated a common to the people of Preston, has joined the protest to keep it as a bowling green.

Smith's Rec was given to the town by the industrialist John Robert Smith who employed hundreds of people in the early part of this century at Pheonix Mill.

He presented it to the mayor, aldermen and burgesses of Preston on the basis that the green remain.

Now John T Smith, grandson of John Robert Smith, has joined club members in the fight to keep the bowlers playing there.

But council bosses want the bowlers to move to another green in Frenchwood and leave the current site to be converted into an all-weather surface for local youths - the same youths who, according to bowlers, spend their evenings vandalising the existing pitch.

John Taylor, of the Frenchwood club, said: "Peat needs rubbing into the ground to repair the damage.

"When the green was relaid last year, the workmen did a very poor job and we have suffered since. Our concern is that the council is trying to move us off the green by making it unusable.

"Moving us off the green is not up for discussion. We are staying here. We shouldn't be the ones who are moved on, it is the vandals."

Council bosses were due to inspect Smiths Recreation bowling green, in Frenchwood, today (March 18) after bowlers complained about the state of the green.

The bowlers, who are adamant they will not move to another bowling green, even though their pitch is being vandalised on a daily basis, say the ground needs urgent attention to bring it up to standard.

The grandson of the benefactor has written to Preston Borough Council, airing his concern that his ancestor's wishes are being ignored.

The bowlers will meet with council bosses on Monday to discuss the situation.

Frenchwood councillor Ken Cole, who is helping the bowlers, said: "I appreciate that this is not the easiest green to look after, due to the damage caused, but lack of dressing - or placing the peat down - removes the choice from the bowlers at a time when people are being consulted about the future of the green.

"I am concerned that neither the bowlers or local community will benefit if they are moved to a new green."

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