WORCESTER City officials say they had no option but to remove the crash barriers from the terraces at St George’s Lane.

The Blue Square South club’s home, also shared by Zamaretto Premier Division side Evesham United, has undergone renovation work in recent weeks ahead of the new season.

Around £7,000 has been spent on improving the pitch with the goalmouths and centre-circle being reseeded with a special root-binding material.

However, the majority of the blue barriers on the Brookside of the ground have been removed because they did not meet health and safety standards.

Colin Layland, the director responsible for the ground work, said taking all but five of them down was a no-brainer in the current financial climate at City.

The situation has not been helped by the revelation the club will be £12,000 worse off following Setanta’s collapse.

The Lane also faces the prospect of a substantial health and safety improvement bill to bring it up to scratch in the months ahead if the prosposed move to Nunnery Way, still waiting to be heard by council planners, doesn’t happen.

“We were looking at thousands and it just really wasn’t viable when it has cost £50 to cut them down,” Layland said. “The police, fire brigade and council said we had to get them stress tested or take them down so we took the cheaper option. It just wouldn’t have paid to keep them up when it could be spent on other things.”

With just two weeks to go before the Hollyoaks charity match in aid of Leukaemia Care on Saturday, July 11, ground staff are putting the finishing touches to the pitch and spectator areas.

However, City’s first pre-season friendly on home soil does not take place until the visit of Solihull Moors on Saturday, July 25 in order to allow the new surface as much time as possible to bed in.

Richard Dryden’s team are due to report back for training at King’s School, Worcester, on Thursday.

Only keeper Jake Meredith and central defender Wayne Daniel have signed so far but several players are expected to arrive on trial during July.

The manager has also admitted that midfield target Matt Birley, who has since joined King’s Lynn, had been on their radar last season when he joined Tamworth.

Dryden added: “We thought we could get him with what we offered. I don’t know what King’s Lynn offered him but we are a bit disappointed.”