FOOTBALL officials have launched a scathing attack on Trowbridge Town Council after it was announced pitches in the town will not be available for use in the new season after all.

After more than two years of wrangling over the state of the pitches at Lambrok Road, local teams were told work would begin to make them usable in mid-May but now it seems that they won't be available until next year.

Tim Penwell, development officer for the Trowbridge and District Football League, said: "This fiasco has gone on long enough.

"For two years now this project has been continually blown offside and now we are to receive another red card. We cannot trust the town council any more."

Mr Penwell said the league now plans to ask west Wiltshire MP Andrew Murrison to get involved on their behalf.

The pitches belong to the town council but were provided by developer Redrow Homes as a condition of planning permission given five years ago for 200 homes on a site nearby.

The developer built the pitches but an inspection by local officials and the West Wiltshire Referees Society, pronounced them unfit for use.

It appears the topsoil layer was too thin to stop the rocks below coming through, making the surface of the pitch too dangerous to play on.

The council sought legal advice on whether the developer could be held responsible but as no specifications were provided for the pitches and was advised there is no case to be answered.

The developer gave the council £60,000 as part of the original deal. This was supposed to be for long term maintenance but will now be used to get the pitches up to scratch.

Councillor Jeff Osborn said: "It is a bit of a sorry tale and I can understand personally how the football teams feel.

"Something is being done about it now but as the town council we have to hold our hands up to this."

Cllr Osborn said work is due to start at the site shortly and the pitches will probably be ready for use by Christmas.

He said he appreciates the difficulties this presents to football leagues, which have to organise fixtures ahead of the season.

Meanwhile West Wiltshire District Council has set up a policy project group to review the use of leisure land and open spaces in the area as a whole.

There are teams in Trowbridge who are in desperate need for a ground on which they can regularly play.

There are several teams joining the Trowbridge and district league next season that don't have anywhere to play.

If the pitches were up to scratch, Mr Penwell said, they would be in use every Saturday and Sunday throughout the season and could also be used by local junior teams.