A THROW-AWAY comment has turned into reality at ambitious Touchline SIL side Somersham.

The club have officially switched on their new floodlights, which have been installed at a cost of �9,500, on their intermediate pitch. The floodlight will provide the club’s four teams – first team, reserves, under-16 and under-15 sides – with vastly improved training facilities.

First-team manager Richard Kennedy said: “This brilliant new facility came out of a throw-away comment I made to the chairman last season. We were looking across at the pitch and I said it would be nice if we could have proper floodlights there.

“We previously had a floodlit area smaller than a five-a-side pitch which became boggy in the winter and used to put people off attending training.”

Kennedy said the floodlights were a result of co-operation between the village side, local government and a new local business.

The club approached James Payne at Suffolk FA and enlisted his help, and thanks to local councillor Julia Truelove secured a �1,000 grant from Somersham Parish Council and via Mid Suffolk District Council community development officer Tom Barker received a further �4,350 from the district council.

The club also received a contribution of �4,000 from SITA UK, who are building an energy from waste centre in nearby Great Blakenham, after successfully applying in response to an offer made by the SITA Trust – a funding organisation dedicated to making last improvements to the natural environment and community life.

The club, whose first team play in Division Two of the SIL and the reserves in Division Five, also raised funds towards the project.

Kennedy added: “We are hoping that with the floodlights we may be able to host junior cup finals in the future, but that is a work in progress.

“We are now starting the process to improve and enlarge the clubhouse.”