A FURNESS cricket club is celebrating after its new pavilion officially opened following five years of planning, fundraising and construction.

Lindal Moor Cricket Club's pavilion was opened by Furness MP John Woodcock and Barbara Bayliff, wife of former Lindal stalwart Ted who recently passed away.

Lindal Moor vice chairman and pavilion project manager, Paul Clarke, said: “This is the culmination of many years of hard work from a number of individuals.

"The new pavilion gives top class facilities for cricketers of all ages and abilities. The pavilion is more spacious than the old pavilion and also much more efficient. There is also a great balcony for spectators and a function room with all the mod-cons for the community or local businesses to use"

"The tremendous effort put in by chairman Colin Knight and his team of coaches meant that with the increased number of players, both male and female, we had to improve the facilities.

"The whole project has cost £300,000 and was ready to use for our first game of the season. Considering the weather we had during the recent winter our builders, PJ Tremaine did an amazing job to have the pavilion ready for use. It was a real family effort at the club as the building was designed by Andy Osborne, father of opening bowler Ben and built by Steve Cumberbatch, father of all-rounder Jack."

The opening ceremony took place following South Lakes Maidens Women's teams first ever game against Hampstead Heath Ladies last Sunday (June 5).

Lindal Moor CC received a grant award of £101,122 from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) towards the construction of the new pavilion.

In addition it received an Interest Free Loan of £20,000 from the England and Wales Cricket Trust, a grant of £48,980 from WREN’s FCC Community Action Fund and it also raised nearly £20,000 thanks to donations from players, members and supporters via the buy-a-brick scheme.

The final part of the jigsaw came from local grant funders Baywind Energy Community Trust, The Cumbria Foundation, The Sir John Fisher Foundation, The Francis C Scott Charitable Trust, The Hadfield Trust, Thomas Graham Grassroots Grants, Barrow Community Trust, County Councillor Janet Willis, Low Furness and Ulverston CCC Community Grants, Barrow Local Committee Community Grants Fund and the North-West Evening Mail Charitable Trust.

Mr Clarke added: "We thank the Cumbria Cricket Board for supporting our application to the ECB and for their guidance especially with developing our Women and Girls team South Lakes Maidens.

“We consider ourselves most fortunate to be able to go ahead with this project and we are very grateful to the England and Wales Cricket Board and the England and Wales Cricket Trust for their support”.

England and Wales Cricket Trust chairman Colin Graves said: “Lindal Moor CC deserves support because of their special efforts to engage their local community and strengthen both adult and junior cricket. Investing in worthy projects such as this one allows cricket clubs to make their facilities as welcoming and accessible as possible to members, players and spectators.”