DESPERATELY needed improvement work could be made to football pitches at Love Lane in Petersfield, provided that the town council can find the cash to do it.

The true state of the pitches, used by hundreds of youngsters every weekend, was revealed in a damning report by the Hampshire Playing Fields Association (HPFA) earlier this year.

The report spurred Petersfield Town Council, which owns the pitches, into action but it has caused a financial headache for councillors because improvement works were not included in their budget.

Councillors have now asked for quotes from consultants to make initial reports on the work that would be needed to bring the pitches up to scratch.

And the HPFA has told the council that consultants fees could be in the region of £300-£500.

All members of the councilÕs grounds committee agreed the work was vital and have now asked officers to rework the budget to find the cash.

But work on the pitches, as a result of the consultantsÕ reports, may not begin for another two years.

Councillor Brian Dutton, acting chairman of the grounds committee, said everyone agreed the pitches were in a desperate state.

ÒWe have got to bite the bullet. We have other sports grounds that could be used while improvements go on,Ó he added.

But he was told by contracts manager Mike Lee that the groundsÕ budget had been cut considerably this year.

The HPFAÕs general secretary Malcolm Miles told Petersfield Town Juniors, who lease the sports ground, last year that he was ÒsaddenedÓ by the state the pitches were in.

He also condemned maintenance work carried out by the town council and added that one pitch was so bad that it would soon be unplayable.

Ian Robinson, chairman of Petersfield Town Juniors, said that he was pleased with the action the council is now taking.

He told The Herald after the meeting: ÒThe comments from all the grounds committee members seem to acknowledge this is an important development and we need to move forward.Ó

He added: ÒMy only hope is that we can do something to shorten the timescale through the tactical work with the contracts manager while the long-term plan takes place.Ó