"Nowhere to play": fears for future of #Stafford Hockey Club

(Broadcast on BBC Radio Stoke, February 2016)

Despite having one hundred and fifty years of history one Stafford sport's club has told BBC Radio Stoke it could be forced to cease to exist if it can't find a new pitch to play matches on.

Stafford Hockey Club owns twelve acres of land at Riverway. But without an astroturf at the site it hosts games at the Beaconside sports complex -- which is being sold off to a chinese investor next year.

A planning application to build their own pitch has been rejected by the Borough Council on the principle that the town would lose an area of green playing field for other sports.

Our reporter EMMA THOMAS went along to team practise and the club AGM last night to find out more...

(Stafford Borough Council have told us they followed Sport England's advice to protect a current playing field. The Hockey Club now has the right to appeal. )