MEMBERS of Brockenhurst Football Club have decided to mount a fundraising campaign in the New Year to try to save their beloved ground.

They were horrified when club bosses declared that they were exploring the possibility of relocating to the outskirts of the village.

The team has played in the heart of Brockenhurst at Grigg Lane for more than 50 years but club facilities have become increasingly dilapidated.

Cyril Otter, 83, life member and club vice president, said: "We were told that it would cost £400,000 to improve the ground at Grigg Lane but we have had an independent survey done which revealed that it would actually cost considerably lower than that figure."

Mr Otter refused to disclose the price of the latest estimate, which would have included all of the necessary improvements including new roofing, new changing facilities and upgrading the grandstand which is currently equipped with wooden seats and sited too close to the pitch.

"It has been decided as a result of the lower estimate that fundraising should start but no details have been drawn up because it is so near to Christmas," added Mr Otter.

"A meeting will be held in early January to work out who is doing what and then things should really start moving."

The current ground is the last surviving green space in the village centre and selling it to developers would net the Sydenhams Wessex League club millions of pounds.

It has previously been estimated that if planning permission was granted for the whole site about 50 small houses could be built there.

Club bosses have confirmed that they are still looking at five possible new sites, including a field behind St Nicholas Church in Mill Lane.

Brian Small, club chairman, said: "Whatever the members want to do is entirely up to them. Any help is a great help. What they are doing has got nothing to do with the official committee of Brockenhurst Football Club. It's a group of people that have got together and think that they can do it, so good luck to them."