Amateur football club wins £125k to improve ground

Club chairman Bill Maynard (centre left) with council and club officials on the pitch after the funds announcement [LDRS] An amateur football club in Lancashire has been given a £125,000 council grant to improve its ground. Mill Hill FC, in Blackburn, has been given the cash boost to upgrade its Waterfall Street ground in time for next season. The club has also raised £30,000 for the £150,000 project to upgrade ground to allow the club's senior teams to play there after securing promotion to the West Lancashire League.

The money will pay for new changing rooms, improved pitch barriers and upgraded dugouts – all meeting the requirements of the league. The club currently has to play its senior matches at Darwen FC because its own ground does not currently meet its new league's criteria. Blackburn with Darwen Council provided £125,000 from its Local Regeneration Fund provided by the government.

The club's chairman Bill Maynard, said: "It's hard to put into words just what this funding means to the club and to our community. "For more than 30 years we have proudly been based right in the heart of Mill Hill, and this investment means we can continue to play from our home at the community hub, which really does mean a lot to us all. " Mill Hill has men's, women's, junior and diversity teams playing at all levels.

The council's growth boss, Councillor Quesir Mahood, said: "This funding means they can support their teams to play at the highest levels possible, and we're delighted to be part of that. " Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook , X and Instagram . You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.