Dorchester Town players have given the thumbs up to a new 3G surface at Thomas Hardye Leisure Centre.

The Magpies will use the rubber crumb pitch as their main training facility this coming season, thus protecting the state of their Avenue Stadium turf.

The new state-of-the-art surface is able to withstand harsh weather conditions and is designed to improve player comfort, as well as minimise the risk of injury.

Assistant-manager Phil Simkin said: “The players are delighted to be able to use such a state-of-the-art facility for training.

“This will be extremely beneficial to the club, especially during the winter months when the all-weather surface will come into its own.

“Often it is hard to find a suitable venue to train at during the cold and wet weather and the playing staff are really looking forward to using this brand new facility.”

Dorchester’s squad are not the only ones to benefit from the new facility. It is open for hire by the local community while students from Thomas Hardye School will make use of the pitch during PE lessons.

West Dorset District Council secured £124,400 from the Football Foundation to resurface the original artificial turf pitch and kick-start a three-year programme aimed at promoting football in Dorchester and the surrounding area. Dorset County Council also provided funding for the new pitch, which can be divided into three thanks to the purchase of new nets.

Council leader Robert Gould said: “We are delighted that West Dorset residents and local teams such as Dorchester Town now have access to these state-of-the-art facilities.

“This new pitch will be a great asset for West Dorset and a boost to local football. The current pitch at Thomas Hardye Leisure Centre is already well used by people of all ages and I hope these new facilities will encourage more people across the district to take up the sport.”

To find out more about booking the 3G pitch, call Thomas Hardye Leisure Centre on 01305 266772.