AFTER months of fundraising Winsley cricket club have started to build a new all-purpose clubhouse ready for the new season.

The club were thrown into turmoil in April last year when their old wooden pavilion was gutted by a fire.

After the blaze, a suspected arson attack, little was left of the 28-year-old pavilion but now the club is aiming to use the setback as a platform to move forward.

Club chairman Pete Cross said: "We are looking to build a bigger and better clubhouse. It is our aim to create a clubhouse that fits in with its beautiful surroundings.

"It will have everything from changing rooms to a club room and also disabled access.

"There is the feeling that in a strange way we will look back on the fire as a blessing in disguise but I don't like to say that because when it was attacked by an arsonist it was a terrible crime and has given the cricket club a number of problems."

The cost of the new building will be £150,000 and as the old pavilion was only insured for £40,000 a massive fundraising effort has taken place.

Cross said: "We have held various fundraising events which has raised about £20,000.

"Also all sorts of people have come in with hundreds of small donations. People have been brilliant to us.

"The new season starts on April 24 and by then we are hoping to have two changing rooms, toilets and showers finished.

"It is an ambitious target but I believe we can get there."

Cross was disappointed that the club received no help from Sport England, who deal with money from the National Lottery.

He said: "People who buy a lottery ticket think their money will be going to a good cause.

"But when they find out it is being used up for the country's Olympic bid perhaps they will stop buying one."