OVER 200 people braved the weather on Saturday to help celebrate the official opening of Bradford on Avon's new rugby clubhouse.

The club moved to their new home in Winsley at the start of the season and have already reaped rewards on the pitch.

After finishing second from bottom in the Dorset and Wiltshire Division One last season, Bradford's first team have experienced a remarkable turnaround in their fortunes and now sit second in the table.

Bradford on Avon mayor Vicky Landell-Mills and officials from Sport England, the organisation which has helped fund the project attended the official opening of the new clubhouse.

England Women's international, Susie Appleby started the proceedings with an exhibition of mini rugby, followed by the veterans against Welsh side Dinas Powys and an internal match between Bradford second team and a Bradford all-star team.

The day's climax was the first team cup-tie against Warminster and the spectators went home happy as the home side won convincingly by 55-0.

Club chairman, Steve Jenner, was delighted with the day.

He said: "It went very well. The weather was awful but there was still a good turnout.

"Perhaps if the weather had been better then even more people would have turned up but we are more than happy."

Prior to this season, Bradford's home had been at St Laurence School but the facilities were unable to cope with demand.

The changing rooms were a 10-minute walk away from the pitch and there was only one pitch available, which made arranging fixtures difficult.

There was no clubhouse so members had to settle for a drink in a nearby skittle alley.

The new building consists of four, 20-person changing rooms, a separate referees' changing room, a treatment and first aid room, an indoor training room and a social area with bar and kitchen facilities.

Jenner, 55, is confident the new facilities will help the club move forward. He said: "It's fantastic. It may be a bit early to talk about promotion but the way we are going it is not unrealistic."

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