Mast ruined our football match
LEWIS HANNAM
23 December 2005 12:48
An annual charity football match had to be cancelled after a mobile phone firm carved up the pitch while putting a mast next to the touchline.
The long-standing Boxing Day game in Spixworth was called off by organisers appalled at the mud-bath workers left behind.
Three teams that regularly use the pitch, next to Spixworth Village Hall in Crostwick Lane, are now seeking a new venue to fulfil their fixtures.
Former Norwich City player Peter Mendham, who uses the pitch when he turns out for Spixworth Veterans, said: "This is a real shame, the area has raised a lot of money for the air ambulance in the past.
"I had just got some new goal-posts from Norwich City's training centre for the pitch too."
The festive fixture has taken place in Spixworth for more than 10 years, this year's proceeds were set to go to East Anglian Air Ambulance and the Clare School.
Players for the game are drawn from willing volunteers in the village.
Peter Gilbert, 37, manager of Spixworth Sunday football team, one of the teams affected by the fiasco, said: "It is disgusting. There is no way we were going to be able to play football on that pitch.
"There are huge ridges in the surface from the machines used to put up the mast.
"There is no way the county football association or its insurers would sanction the use of this.
"Also, there are health and safety issues with regard to players actually running into this mast as it so close to the pitch."
The mobile phone mast was installed by telecommunications firm Hutchinson 3G two weeks ago and according to Mr Gilbert the structure is only a metre from the byline.
The phone firm put metal sheets over the pitch to try and protect the surface, but due to the wet weather the damage was severe.
Father-of-three Mr Gilbert, a courier who lives in Orchard Road, Spixworth, said the village's veteran and under 16s team would also be seeking new pitches to fulfil their remaining fixtures.
Lynn Jeffrey, chair of the village hall management committee, which owns the land, said: "We are really sorry this has happened and we are talking to the mobile phone company to resolve it.
"The football club was made aware the mast was going up and we did not receive any complaints from them over it.
"We have offered them the use of the smaller pitch for the charity match but they have refused.
"We have also spoken about moving the pitch markings forward but they do not seem to be interested."
Mrs Jeffrey said the phone mast netted the committee £4,000 a year, a vital stream of revenue for the hall, which loses £2,000 a year.
A spokesman for Hutchinson 3G said: "If the pitch has been damaged then we will make sure it is returned to how it was.
"We are going to look at the site and we will evaluate the situation after that."
He admitted it would be very different to move the mast now it had been sited.
The Evening News's long-running Put Masts On Hold campaign has called for no more mobile phone masts to be installed near homes and schools until proper studies of possible health risks have been completed.
Are you battling a mobile phone mast application where you live? Telephone Evening News reporter Peter Walsh on (01603) 772439 or e-mail peter.walsh@archant.co.uk
http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/News/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=News&tBrand=enonline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED23%20Dec%202005%2012%3A48%3A23%3A670
23 December 2005 12:48
An annual charity football match had to be cancelled after a mobile phone firm carved up the pitch while putting a mast next to the touchline.
The long-standing Boxing Day game in Spixworth was called off by organisers appalled at the mud-bath workers left behind.
Three teams that regularly use the pitch, next to Spixworth Village Hall in Crostwick Lane, are now seeking a new venue to fulfil their fixtures.
Former Norwich City player Peter Mendham, who uses the pitch when he turns out for Spixworth Veterans, said: "This is a real shame, the area has raised a lot of money for the air ambulance in the past.
"I had just got some new goal-posts from Norwich City's training centre for the pitch too."
The festive fixture has taken place in Spixworth for more than 10 years, this year's proceeds were set to go to East Anglian Air Ambulance and the Clare School.
Players for the game are drawn from willing volunteers in the village.
Peter Gilbert, 37, manager of Spixworth Sunday football team, one of the teams affected by the fiasco, said: "It is disgusting. There is no way we were going to be able to play football on that pitch.
"There are huge ridges in the surface from the machines used to put up the mast.
"There is no way the county football association or its insurers would sanction the use of this.
"Also, there are health and safety issues with regard to players actually running into this mast as it so close to the pitch."
The mobile phone mast was installed by telecommunications firm Hutchinson 3G two weeks ago and according to Mr Gilbert the structure is only a metre from the byline.
The phone firm put metal sheets over the pitch to try and protect the surface, but due to the wet weather the damage was severe.
Father-of-three Mr Gilbert, a courier who lives in Orchard Road, Spixworth, said the village's veteran and under 16s team would also be seeking new pitches to fulfil their remaining fixtures.
Lynn Jeffrey, chair of the village hall management committee, which owns the land, said: "We are really sorry this has happened and we are talking to the mobile phone company to resolve it.
"The football club was made aware the mast was going up and we did not receive any complaints from them over it.
"We have offered them the use of the smaller pitch for the charity match but they have refused.
"We have also spoken about moving the pitch markings forward but they do not seem to be interested."
Mrs Jeffrey said the phone mast netted the committee £4,000 a year, a vital stream of revenue for the hall, which loses £2,000 a year.
A spokesman for Hutchinson 3G said: "If the pitch has been damaged then we will make sure it is returned to how it was.
"We are going to look at the site and we will evaluate the situation after that."
He admitted it would be very different to move the mast now it had been sited.
The Evening News's long-running Put Masts On Hold campaign has called for no more mobile phone masts to be installed near homes and schools until proper studies of possible health risks have been completed.
Are you battling a mobile phone mast application where you live? Telephone Evening News reporter Peter Walsh on (01603) 772439 or e-mail peter.walsh@archant.co.uk
http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/News/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=News&tBrand=enonline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED23%20Dec%202005%2012%3A48%3A23%3A670
Starmail - 23. Dez, 19:46
