New practice nets a big hit at Upton St Leonards Cricket Club, Gloucester Citizen

Upton St Leonards cricket club can push on with development now its new nets are up-and-running.

The club has raised thousands of pounds to spend on facilities and the latest addition has been a big hit.

Andy Russell, secretary at the club which plays at the Recreation Ground in Birchall Lane, said: "The response has been very, very good.

"The nets are being heavily used - more than we could ever have hoped for.

"As an amateur club with ambitions to expand our junior section we just could not have developed without these new facilities.

"We were running about of practice space and time out on the square."

The club raised £40,000 last season to spend on new facilities.

Money was donated by Upton St Leonards Parish Council, Gloucestershire County Council's "Active Together" scheme, the Gloucestershire Playing Fields Association, the Summerfield Trust, the Gloucestershire Environmental Trust, the Allchurches Trust and the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Work on the new nets, which are used by cricketers to practice bowling and batting, began last September before it was postponed because of bad weather.

Work restarted in April and was completed in time for the glorious weather in Gloucestershire last weekend.

Mr Russell added: "It has meant more people, especially young players, playing outdoors, which surely can only be a good thing."

Source: www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk