A CUDWORTH football club facing closure due to a price hike by Barnsley Premier Leisure has been given a reprieve.

Dorothy Hyman West End JFC needed to find an extra £7,000 for training and pitch hire fees but premier leisure has agreed to waive training fees for the club’s seven teams which would have set them back £2,880.

After an emergency meeting between club officials and premier leisure bosses a fortnight ago, the club is in negotiations about the £4,050 needed to pay for pitch hire throughout the season.

Gary Midgley, club chairman, is confident a solution will be found.

He said: “We had a meeting and explained everything to them and they listened to us. It went very well. They waived the training fees and have gone away with our suggestions such as to charge the teams aged seven to 12 an x amount per game.

“The good we do for this community is unbelievable and we have got all these kids off the streets. We don’t just teach them how to play football, we tell them abou life skills and how to behave and conduct themselves.

“It looked like we were going to be put out of business. It was that serious but we have got a bit of a reprieve now.”

Geoff Howsam, area manager for BPL who manage Dorothy Hyman Stadium, said: “We had a productive meeting with the club to discuss the proposed price changes, which we had intended to do ahead of the new season anyway.

“We were pleased to agree on the prices with the club and have discussed other ways to which we can support them.

“We always endeavour to support and develop all local sport clubs and we try to offer a reasonable price for the use of such an excellent pitch.”