IT might be hot outside but it's even hotter at Lydney RFC now a new biomass heating system has been installed.

The club has replaced its 40-year-old boiler and heating system thanks to a £50,000 grant from the National Lottery Funding.

The new system is a drive towards 'greener' energy and works by burning wood, animal waste, food or high energy plants to generate heat and energy. It will also reduce the club's CO2 omissions by 4.1 tonnes per annum.

Project manager at the club, Roger Pike said: "We are delighted with the new system. Suppliers Hewer has done a superb job providing a top quality system, installed on time and within budget. The system's design, through the use of several smaller tanks, allows us to heat just the amount of water we require rather than having to heat one massive tank on the old system, often when we only required a small amount."