A thriving junior football club has been given new home turf to help cope with increasing numbers.

Cross Roads Juniors is having part of Cross Roads park converted into a new pitch so its growing number of young footballers will have space to play.

The transformation has been made possible thanks to a £3,000 grant from Bradford council's recreation department and Keighley Area Panel, the council's local arm.

Secretary and one of the founder members Diane Sands is keen to outline to local people what is happening with the playing field. "The pitch is unplayable at the moment so workmen are levelling it and reseeding it," she says. "Hopefully we should be able to use it next season.

"We currently play in Lees First School's playing field which isn't big enough for 11-a-side football, so they are trying to make our new pitch as big as possible."

Since it was formed three years ago the football club has been a victim of its own success with membership swelling from 13 to 60 and more willing youngsters on a waiting list.

After starting off with just one team the club now operates an under seven, under eight, under nine, under ten and under 12 team.

Diane adds: "We are hopefully going to raise money to buy another field in the Cross Roads area so we can offer the facilities to far more children. Junior football is going through the roof. It is going from strength to strength."

Diane has also thanked her fellow founder member John Rooney and parent Keith Eccleston for their help and support.

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