WITH the roof safely on and builders now working flat out inside, youngsters can look forward to having a new pavilion for the start of next season.Organisers of the project – being built as a memorial to murdered schoolgirl Vicky Hall – are confident it will be finished on time now that the worst of the weather is over and the main construction work is nearing completion.

WITH the roof safely on and builders now working flat out inside, youngsters can look forward to having a new pavilion for the start of next season.

Organisers of the project - being built as a memorial to murdered schoolgirl Vicky Hall - are confident it will be finished on time now that the worst of the weather is over and the main construction work is nearing completion.

Contractors Heronbuild are on schedule to finish the £250,000 pavilion at Stennetts Memorial Playing Field in Trimley St Mary by mid-May.

Trimley Red Devils, which will manage it, will move in over the summer and start the next football season in their new home, with some of the best facilities in the area.

Chairman Bob Race said everyone was delighted that the building work was progressing well. The winter weather had caused little disruption to the schedule but getting roof, doors and windows in place was a major milestone.

There was a lot of work still to do inside in equipping the changing rooms and showers, but at least this could be done without worrying about the weather.

Mr Race said more work had been going on behind the scenes, too - and the Red Devils had now become a charity, and a lease for the land had been drawn up and agreed with the parish council, trustees for the playing field.

Ideas are also being looked at for a grand opening ceremony for the pavilion - a special day in which Vicky is remembered and new building celebrated.

The club is also looking at how it will run the new football academy which is a major part of the pavilion project.

The memorial appeal launched by the Evening Star raised £310,000 - £100,000 from fundraising, and a £210,000 grant from the Football Foundation. Of the foundation's grant, £160,000 will go towards the cost of the sports pavilion, and £50,000 for the football development programme.

The pavilion will be used by hundreds of young footballers, boys and girls, and other sports players and community groups.

The Red Devils has more than 150 players from under eights boys teams to the under 16 team. The new facilities are expected to attract many new players, including girls' teams.

Vicky, 17, went missing as she walked home from a nightclub in September 1999. A murder inquiry was launched after her body was found a week later in a ditch 24 miles away at Creeting St Peter.

WEBLINK: www.footballfoundation.org.uk