CASH to rid Calstock football pitch of its flooding problems was a welcome Christmas present for the football club this week. The parish council has agreed a grant of £3,850 from its reserves to sort out the issue once and for all so play can resume. Calstock Football Club members have not played a match on the pitch all season and were becoming increasingly frustrated by the situation.

Manager Stewart Cawte said: 'It's been about 18 weeks since the season started and we have had to cancel so many games.

'The guys don't get to play and it's a major inconvenience. We have tried to do what we can to sort out the pitch but it's still flooding.' Efforts included raising £2,500 to buy in top soil and 700 square yards of turf.

'We laid it in the summer and the pitch was looking lovely but with all the rain it is just not draining away,' added Stewart.

'We had quotes of up to £10,000 to sort out the drainage. It's fantastic news that the council has come up with the money to get it sorted.'

The team plays in Duchy Division 2 and has a strong club and junior section.

Cllr Dick Hoile said at a meeting of the parish council last week that at the eastern end of the pitch was a bank that had been built in front of the drainage ditch.

'I think the bank was put there to stop people going in the ditch but now the water is not draining away,' he said.

'It is a shame that the pitch cannot be used at the moment but the other concern is that young children could drown in this water because it is up to eight inches deep.'

He said the money would enable new drains to be put in. He said he expected the problem had been accentuated because the pump which pumped water away from the nearby village hall car park was not working and hence more water was going on the pitch.

'I am glad we can do something to help because as a parish council we cannot always do that,' he added.

'The pitch is on a flood plain so you never know quite what will happen but hopefully we can improve matters as they are at the moment.'