A FOOTBALL club has stepped in to save the fortunes of a homeless Suffolk playgroup, it emerged today.Hadleigh Community Playgroup is one of several groups that are being forced to leave East House in Hadleigh today after Babergh District Council's decision to sell the building.

A FOOTBALL club has stepped in to save the fortunes of a homeless Suffolk playgroup, it emerged today.

Hadleigh Community Playgroup is one of several groups that are being forced to leave East House in Hadleigh today after Babergh District Council's decision to sell the building.

But thankfully the playgroup, which had been based at the George Street site for at least 25 years, has been rescued by the town's football club.

Kate Batty, chairwoman of the playgroup's committee, said: “It's upsetting to go. It was a really good location.

“The football club was great because we are able to use their clubhouse and they also have outdoor facilities. And considering we have been banging our heads against a brick wall for so long it was fantastic to find people who actually wanted to help.”

So the playgroup will be moving into their new site at the club's Millfield ground, which has been approved as a centre by Ofsted, from September.

John Chenery, chairman of Hadleigh United Football Club, said: “We're really pleased. It is great to be able to help out groups in the community - we need to pull together.”

The other organisations which are moving out of East House today are the volunteer bureau, Hadleigh community support and the railway circle.

The money raised from the sale could go towards a new multi-million pound swimming pool for the town to replace the outdated 36-year-old pool.