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'We're failing kids': Coach upset as pitch closes

BBC Mr Leeder wearing his Greenbank FC uniform in front of the closed pitches. He has a short beard and dark hair and his tracksuit is green with an emblem on his left chest.BBC
Adam Leeder from Greenbank FC said hundreds of children were missing out because of the decision

More than 500 children have been left with nowhere to play football after an artificial pitch was closed last week.

Greenbank FC, which runs 46 youth football teams in North Hykeham, said they were told at short notice the surface they use at One NK Leisure Centre was "unsafe".

The team's chairman said "from the kids' perspectives, we're failing them".

North Kesteven District Council said it was working to "ensure the pitch can reopen as soon as possible."

An artificial grass football pitch behind bars of green painted metal fence
Artificial pitches at OneNK in North Hykeham were deemed "unsafe"

Lincolnshire FA said it was working with the club, which is the biggest youth team in the county, to try and arrange alternatives.

The football club said it had raised concerns over the quality and maintenance of the 10-year-old artificial pitch to North Kesteven District Council over the past two seasons.

"The pitch has been left to deteriorate for so long it's now unplayable with questions being asked how this has been allowed to happen," Greenbank FC said in a statement.

Chairman of Greenbank FC, Adam Leeder said it was "causing some real problems".

"Having to try and find 540 users plus an adult's team somewhere else to go and play football is not an easy task."

"The leisure facilities in Lincoln aren't massive and they're already up to capacity."

Mr Leeder said he felt he was letting hundreds of children down.

"I think from the kids' perspectives, we're failing them. I think we're failing them from a social and mental wellbeing perspective and I think we're failing the families," he said.

Greenbank FC Children taking part in football training on 3G pitches in front of One NK Greenbank FC
Greenbank FC has been using pitches at the One NK site for decades

North Kesteven District Council said it "supports the regular maintenance" of the pitch and was working with North Kesteven Academy and other partners to "help ensure the pitch can reopen again as soon as possible."

The council said it hoped repairs could take place "in the next few weeks".

Lincolnshire FA said it was told the site had been closed suddenly because it was "deemed unsafe and therefore closed with immediate effect".

It said it was trying to mitigate the "substantial effect on Greenbank FC" and was working to find "short term, interim measures" to allow children to continue playing football.

The BBC contacted GLL, a company responsible for day to day running of the pitch and leisure centre One NK, they refused to comment.

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