Members of a popular bowls club fear they could lose their green after Ipswich council decided it was not able to continue maintaining it.

Christchurch Bowls Club has been based in the town’s most popular park for decades, and plays on one of two greens near the Westerfield Road entrance.

Until now the greens have been maintained by park rangers – but now the borough has written to all bowls clubs using greens on their land that they will have to maintain them themselves.

Some clubs have welcomed this because experienced bowlers feel they know what is needed to maintain a green, but members of the Christchurch club fear it could mean the end of their green.

Tony Rook from the club said: “Many of our members are quite old and would not be able to do the kind of work needed, and the equipment needed is quite expensive.

“The borough have said we can use their equipment when they are not using it, but who knows when that might be. It would be very difficult for us, we are very worried about our future.”

Borough councillor with responsibility for leisure Bryony Rudkin said the council had talked to many of the clubs who were keen to take on the management of their greens.

She said: “We are offering them help – the college is keen to work with the clubs to give their apprentices experience of working on this kind of project and we are happy to lend equipment.

“The club at Holywells has been managing its own green quite happily for several years. Most clubs have people who are able to help maintain the greens and they have much more specialist knowledge about maintenance than we have.”

Are you worried about the maintenance of the borough’s bowling greens? Write to Your Letters, Ipswich Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail starletters@archant.co.uk