PERSHORE Town Council needs extra time to consider a request from the town's football club for another pitch.

The club, which is based on the council-owned King George's Fields, has asked for an area of land behind the leisure centre to create a mini soccer pitch.

However, at a meeting of the town council, members showed the proposal a yellow card.

Councillor John Grantham said he had doubts about the location of the pitch. "I think it is an inappropriate place to put a football pitch. It is not level and there are a lot of trees and shrubs there."

He added that because it was on the floodplain it was often boggy and could not be levelled.

Coun Val Wood said her colleagues should remember what happened after a previous application by the club for a new pitch.

Car park

"A couple of years ago the club asked to use a piece of land for a training pitch. Now it is being used as a car park."

Coun Charles Tucker said he had concerns that the football club might come to dominate the entire riverside area.

"We have to remember that King George's Fields are a resource for the whole town. The football club already occupies 50 per cent of them and we have got to remember our obligation to keep them accessible to everyone."

However, Coun Dave Shaw said the football club should be helped to develop their work with young people.

"They are encouraging the youth of the town to take part in worthwhile activities and we know what they would be doing otherwise."

Coun Ted Annis, who is the town council representative on the football club committee, said he would arrange a meeting at the club to investigate the matter further.