A junior football team is being forced to change in the open air because their club house has been left to rot.

Brighton and Hove City Council has offered the team a storage shed as an alternative but said it does not have enough money to renovate the changing rooms at Hove Park.

Hove Park Colts is one of the longest running youth football clubs in Sussex. It was founded in 1974.

The club moved back to their original home after Hove Rugby Club left the ground in Hove Park Road four years ago. They were told that the changing rooms would be maintained.

But this summer, Brighton and Hove City Council said the building was no longer safe after a leaking roof led to some of the ceilings collapsing.

This has left the 150 boys and girls who play football for the team, along with the opposition and the referees, with no choice but to get changed in the middle of the park.

David Mates, vice-president of the club, said: "We were very pleased when we came back to the park and reclaimed it as our home.

"But it is really disappointing the way things have gone and we now feel that we have been let down.

"We were given assurances that the changing rooms would be maintained but the council told us this summer that they didn't have the money."

Mr Mates now fears the team could be fined or lose some of its better players because of the problems.

He said: "We regularly get reported to the league because of the ground and lack of changing rooms."

The pitch has also deteriorated with holes dotted around the ground which the teams have to fill themselves.

The council's attempts to repair the goalmouths have also created problems as stones regularly need to be picked out.

Mr Mates said: "The ground should be managed to a safe level. I don't think it will be long before somebody injures themselves.

"We read all the time that the Government is encouraging people to exercise and we have 140 to 150 children who want to play football."

Councillor Jayne Bennett, who presented a petition to the council on behalf of the club, said: "We should be encouraging people to do as much sport as possible.

"As a council we should be doing everything to help - the club does a fantastic job."

She called on builders in the area to come forward and help with the work.

Councillor Geoffrey Theobald, chairman of the environment committee, said the council would look into opening a store shed as a replacement changing room.

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