BRADFORD and Bingley Cricket Club are celebrating after getting £9,000 of National Lottery funding from Sport England’s Community Asset Fund for emergency works, following recent flood damage.

It means the club have been able to repair the cricket outfield and square, which were both badly damaged as a result of Storms Ciara and Dennis.

In February, Sport England announced emergency funding for flood and storm damage to help clean up and repair sports facilities and get them back up and running.

The grant has allowed Bradford and Bingley Cricket Club to refurbish the damaged playing surfaces through a process of scarification, debris and silt removal, aeration and re-seeding.

Club chairman Adam Swallow said: “We are extremely grateful for the financial support provided by Sport England and National Lottery funding.

“The constant deluge from the storms during the early part of the year caused the River Aire to flood once again and caused extended periods of damage to our playing surfaces.

“This would have had major ongoing implications for the 2020 season, if we did not have the ability to appoint contractors to effect the specialist works necessary to reinstate both the outfield and square.

“The reparation work means we will be ready for cricket when the issues relating to the coronavirus allow us to re-open the Bradford and Bingley Cricket Club, so the community can once more benefit from these fantastic facilities.”

Tim Hollingsworth, Sport England’s Chief Executive, said: “We know from the floods in 2013 and 2015 that flood water can cause damage to sports pitches and pavilions, changing and social facilities.

“We’re making emergency funding available now so when the time is right, sports organisations can pay for rebuilds and repairs quickly. We are delighted to be able to get this emergency funding to Bradford and Bingley Cricket Club to help it get back up and running as soon as possible.”