A volunteer-led football club for young people is celebrating after receiving a large donation from a local councillor.

Borehamwood Youth Football Club, in Aycliffe Road, has been allocated £1,000 by Hertfordshire County Councillor Leon Reefe.

The money, which comes from the councillor’s locality budget, will be used to drain the football club’s waterlogged pitch. 

The organisation, which looks after 250 children aged four to 18, relies entirely on volunteers.

Club secretary Lorraine Chambers said how “delighted” she was to receive the award.

She added: “It’s brilliant a local councillor is supporting us like this, we’re grateful for anything we can get.”

The pitches cannot be used in wet weather due to drainage problems, so the club often has to play in local parks or cancel games.

The youth team needs to raise £164,000 to enable it to install proper drainage and improve the quality of the pitches so they can be used throughout the year.

It has already received £150,000 from Sport England and the Football Foundation, and has raised £7000 through hosting a range of events.

It is half way to raising the final £7,000.

Cllr Reefe, who represents Borehamwood North Division, said: “The award to Borehamwood Youth Football Club is in line with my promise to support local organisations.

“I particularly hope to help youth organisations which may previously have been neglected.

"The majority of members are from the local area, and colleagues in the borough council will also be making contributions so that together we can help the club reach their target.”

A total of £10,000 is available to each of the 77 members of Hertfordshire County Council to spend on worthwhile community projects in their area.