ST NEOTS young female footballers can now look forward to the new season after a broken water pipe, which had caused their home pitch to become waterlogged, was repaired. Concern had been raised that players from the under 13s, 15s and 16s from St Neots

ST NEOTS' young female footballers can now look forward to the new season after a broken water pipe, which had caused their home pitch to become waterlogged, was repaired.

Concern had been raised that players from the under 13s, 15s and 16s from St Neots Town FC would be unable to train or play home matches until the water pipe was fixed.

Phil Yates, treasurer of St Neots Sports Association, said Anglian Water fixed the leak last week and the groundsman was confident the damage could be remedied in time for the forthcoming season, which is due to kick off on September 9.

The problem involved an underground pipe which runs the length of the St Neots Sports Association's fields - opposite the town's common - to two cottages in Mill Lane.

Anglian Water said it had repaired the one-inch galvanised pipe as a goodwill gesture, as the water was from a private supply and was therefore not the firm's responsibility.

Mr Yates, 57, said he was delighted the problem had been sorted.

The waterlogged area had grown to cover a patch about 10m by 3m, rendering the pitch unusable.

"I'm delighted it's all done," said Mr Yates.

"We would have had to have moved the whole pitch to allow the girls to play, which would have been time-consuming and costly.