Bomere Heath Cricket Club seeks thousands to overcome flooding

Andy McIlroy, the club’s groundsman for “donkey’s years”, said: “The club moved to its current site from further up the village about 25 years ago. The ground we’ve got is reclaimed farmland.

“Over the recent years, the ground’s become worse and worse with the change in the climate and the more rain we’re getting during the winter, which meant we lost a number of games at the start of this season due to the ground being flooded.”

But Mr McIlroy said the village was proud of the facility and determined to keep it at the heart of village life.

“I think we’ve probably got one of the best facilities for a small village in north Shropshire – we’re quite proud of it.”

He added: “It’s become a right community hub.”