AN East Lancashire amateur football club is appealing for a wealthy benefactor to help shoot it to glory.

Padiham FC, nicknamed The Storks, is looking a new chairman to take over the hot seat at the Arbories and invest in improving the club.

Present chairman Michael Muldoon is to relinquish the role as he now lives in Spain and has been jetting back once a month for the past year to see how the club is running.

Secretary Alan Smith today appealed for business people across East Lancashire to put themselves forward for the role.

He said: "Because of the progress we are making, we are looking for someone who has got money, a business brain or business connections and who is interested in taking the club forward.

"We are looking for someone who has a passion for football who possibly used to be involved in the game.

"Someone who wants to put something back and can see we have reached a stage where we have to be more professional on and off the pitch."

The club's first team is currently third in North West Counties league second division and Mr Smith said the aim was to get promoted two tiers to the Unibond league.

As well as progress on the pitch, club staff are also hoping to build an indoor training hall for the community, improve the pitch's drainage and install at least another 50 seats to the 100 it has.

Mr Smith said the club would apply for funding for the new sports hall from regeneration body Padiham Life.

He added that Padiham FC had spent about £400,000 in six years improving the club, much of which had come from grants.

As a result, he said, the club has no debts. Contact Mr Smith on 01282 771963.