A VILLAGE'S fund to build a new sports pavilion has reached £20,000 - nearly a quarter of its target.

The latest boost to the Burton-in-Lonsdale appeal was a charity football match held in the village, which attracted around 120 people and raised £400 towards the target of £85,000.

The match, between a village team and West Riding FA, had been rescheduled from March because of snow.

The pavilion plan, which has had the backing of Craven District Council, has two grant applications pending, hopes are high the pavilion could be up and in use by early next year.

The match - which included a raffle, refreshments, bouncy castle for the children and live music from blues band, Swarm - saw the home side take victory with two goals to one, with the winning goal coming in the closing minutes.

It is hoped that the match will see a resurgence of football in the village, which at one time sported its own team.

Margaret Mason, chairman of Burton Recreation Ground, said the event had been wonderfully supported.

“It demonstrated how determined the village is to secure a new sports pavilion, which would act as a community sports hub, enhancing existing sports provision at the recreation ground, but also facilitating the development of new sporting opportunities and clubs in sports such as football, archery, cricket and running,” she said.

Villagers are now waiting for the outcome of two funding applications, including one to Sport England’s Inspired Facilities Lottery Fund.

If successful, a new pavilion could be ready early next year.

It is proposed that the new pavilion will include two changing rooms with showers, an officials’ changing room, toilets, social area and kitchen. It would replace the current temporary building which has just toilets and a small kitchen.