YORKLEY Football Club has launched an appeal to find a new pitch to play on – after the ground was extensively damaged by wild boar in recent days.

Chairman of Yorkley AFC, Mark Hudson, told the Review: "Yorkley Football Club have had their season ruined as the recreation ground has, once again, been visited by the boar and the pitch is now going to need professional help to get it playable again."

The club has suffered damage from the feral animals throughout the current season. Mark said: "The boar visited the first Friday night of the season, which we were able to repair. But they then returned the next week to do more damage and made the pitch unplayable. This was once again repaired, but two more visits this week have made that much damage that it's going to be unplayable for months.

"It doesn't help when people are leaving gates open, and some locals are even feeding the boar - it's getting beyond a joke now."

Up to 30 boar at a time have been witnessed tearing up the club's home turf, and while the club has been surviving by using a 'spare' pitch at Yorkley school, their use of this will end next week – which is the reason for their urgent appeal.

Mark added a plea: "We are urgently looking for some land in Yorkley, or surrounding area, where we can play every week. If anyone has any ideas, I can be contacted on 01594 841379."