THE future of amateur football in Evesham could be in jeopardy because of a proposed rise in ground hire charges - by more than 60 per cent.

Town councillors vowed to do all they could to stop the rise, after four clubs wrote to them appealing for help.

If Wychavon District Council's proposals go ahead, from Thursday, April 1, clubs playing on the Davies Road ground would be paying £20 per match and £10 for juniors - up by £8 and £4 per game respectively.

On top of that, they must pay for changing rooms at a cost of £29, pushing up the price to £49 or £35 per junior game.

Secretary of the Red Horse football team, Robin Heaney, said: "We play in the Birdseye Sports Sunday League, at Davies Road, on a shoestring.

"We already find it difficult to raise the fees, but if the proposed charges go ahead, with our referee's fees, it will cost us about £60 per game.

"We could run into financial problems next year."

Leisure officer, Sue Healey, informed the town council that the district spends £3,450 each year maintaining the pitches on Davies Road and needed the revenue to recover the costs. A number of repairs had also been necessary due to vandalism.

Town councillors heard, however, that the players were being asked to clean up the pitches strewn with litter, dog mess and syringes on Sunday mornings before they could play.

The charges for the Davies Road pitches and Corporation Meadow - which is increasing £3 to £15 per match and from £6 to £7.50 for juniors - is due to go before a full council meeting on Tuesday, February 24.