PLANS by Belbroughton Parish Council to keep their recreation ground beautiful could leave a local football team without a home pitch.

Work began last Monday on a winding path through the Stourbridge Road recreation ground to give children a better route to Fairfield School and make the park more attractive.

It could mean the end for proposals by Fairfield Villa FC to pave over ground at the side of their pitch, which is leased from the parish council, for spectators to stand on.

The club, which currently plays in Northfield, had argued this could double as a path, but parish councillors rejected it as "unsightly" over-development.

Without the hard standing, league rules will not allow Fairfield Villa to play on their home pitch.

Fairfield Villa secretary Charlie Harris said: "Having no ground is costing us revenue, there's no atmosphere for home games and the parish council just says there should be no more development."

Bromsgrove Sports Council chairman Athol Deakin said: "Sport is an important, integral part of everybody's lives and it's important we work together for the best facilities."

Parish council chairman Tim Cherry said Fairfield Villa had outgrown the village recreation ground and needed a dedicated first team pitch. He said: "We are the guardians of the interests of our parishioners, not of the interests of Fairfield Villa."