A HAMPSHIRE cricket club hit by an arson attack has been awarded £40,000 towards the cost of replacing its fire-ravaged clubhouse.
Paultons Cricket Club in Whitemoor Lane, Ower, is among the organisations set to benefit from New Forest District Council's decision to allocate grants totalling £270,000.
A van was driven onto the pitch in January last year and set ablaze beside the 65-year-old pavilion.
Crews from four fire stations, Eastleigh, Redbridge, Romsey, and St Mary’s, arrived to find half the building engulfed in flames. The blaze destroyed a changing area and a room with a pool table.
The club needs to raise £630,000 to replace the facilities destroyed in the fire and is still £100,000 short of its target.
Chairman Mark Lamb described the £40,000 grant as "absolutely amazing", adding: "We never expected anything like that when we made the application. It's put us within touching distance of starting the rebuild, which we hope will be in August or September."
READ MORE: Paultons Cricket Club at Ower hit by fire
Members have been using temporary facilities since the fire.
Following the blaze, hundreds of people donated to a GoFundMe page set up by one of the players, Ryan Collingwood.
A statement on the page said: "We all know that a long road is ahead.
"We don’t have money spare to supplement the work that will be covered by our insurance, so we’re looking for help from the local community to help us get back up and running as soon as possible.
"Any and all donations will be massively appreciated."
One of the messages of support left on the page said: "We wish you all the luck in getting this important part of the local community back on its feet."
Another added: "It's a wonderful, welcoming club and I know the local and cricketing communities will rally round."
Speaking at the time Mr Collingwood described the response to the fundraising campaign as "way beyond what we thought possible".
He added: "I can’t say 'thank you' enough to everyone who has sent messages of support. They really have helped ease some of the pain."
READ MORE: Cash pours in after Paultons Cricket Club hit by arson attack
The £40,000 windfall from the council comes after members of the authority reviewed 27 applications from across the district and made a series of recommendations to the ruling cabinet.
Testwood School in Totton has been awarded £20,000 towards the cost of replacing its synthetic turf pitch.
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