Photos ignite playing field parking row

Problems at new Barn caught on camera

PHOTOGRAPHS of cars parked on New Barn Playing Fields in Shaw have been sent to Oldham Council.

It is the latest twist in a row that blew up when the council billed Chaddy End Football Club £1,500 to repair damage to the soccer pitches.

The council said that they were in perfect condition before the annual six-a-side tournament organised by the club on July 5 and 6.

It called Chaddy End FC irresponsible for letting people drive on the playing fields leaving tyre tracks and ruts, and banned it from continuing the tournament there last weekend.

However, the club is questioning the extent of the damage and said it had been caused by one “idiot” driving over the pitch.

Ian Lawrence, secretary of AFC Royton, who took the photographs, said: “I have brought this to the attention of the council for the past three years — the state it has been left in after the tournament — as we hire one of the pitches on Saturday afternoons to play in the Rochdale Online Alliance League.

“The council always said the pitches were not used as a car park and I was assured that this year cars would only be allowed to park on the banking.

“I suspected that this would not be the case and took the photographs of cars parked on the pitch.

“I fully support the principle of this type of tournament, however the organisers must respect facilities that other clubs will be using after their event.”

Chaddy End FC faced a desperate dash to find a new venue, saying that cancelling the fund-raising tournament on top of the £1,500 bill could force the club to fold.

It secured pitches at Heaton Park at the eleventh hour.

A committee meeting will be held in the next few days to discuss the bill and a petition has been started.

Mr Clegg said that people left their cars on the banking at the playing fields following complaints from residents about parking on surrounding streets.

“If there is an overflow we park on the playing field. The council do know that. Where the cars were parked there were no marks on that pitch,” he added.

Steve Smith, head of parks and open spaces, said the playing fields had been left in a mess, adding: “We did agree there would be limited parking on the banking but we did not expect them to park all over the playing field.”