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Playing fields start to sink
Blackpool Road North playing fields under water
STOP the rot on our playing fields.
That was the message after Blackpool Road North playing fields in St Annes, resembled a series of lakes following a deluge of rainfall.
The site, which was used as a car park for more than 15,000 vehicles during the Open Golf Championship, held at Royal Lytham and St Annes, was well-known for being playable in the worst weather conditions.
However, pitches, left rutted and untreated following the golf, have provoked anger from one councillor and a football coach, who feel not enough has been done to bring the them up to scratch following the Open Championship.
Brendan Holt, St Annes FC under 11s manager said: “We’ve played just seven out of 15 games this year because of the way the pitches have been left following the golf parking.
“I don’t understand why the biggest car park was left until last to be dealt with. A firm from Preston was to help with the recovery, but because it was left, the pitches have really suffered in the bad weather.
“Blackpool Road North was the best on the Fylde coast for drainage, now it is one of the worst in the space of six months.
“What worries me is that the pitches are now starting to sink and even if the water drains, they will be unplayable.
“The knock on effect is that summer tournaments will have to be cancelled, as the pitches will need a complete break for three or four months to recover.”
Coun Karen Henshaw added: “Across the Open week, 15,000 cars parked on the fields, leaving them rutted.
“I believe the amount of cars on the land has damaged the drainage.
“It needs re-levelling and re-seeding, but as it is, we are being told this cannot be done until the spring because of the current weather conditions.”
A spokesman for Fylde Council said: “Blackpool Road was only partly reinstated due to the weather.
“When the contractors came to the site, it was waterlogged and they were only able to carry out limited works. Constant monitoring over the following weeks proved that they were unable to get on site due to both weather and ground conditions.
“It was decided in November that the contractors would return to finish the renovation work in spring of 2013 when conditions allow.”
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Weather for Lytham
Sunday 19 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North west
