BOWLS: BOWLING enthusiasts are hoping councillors will come to their rescue to build a new club house. Members of Westerfield Bowls Club are keeping their fingers crossed that Suffolk Coastal District Council will come up with the £4,000 they urgently need to replace their aging pavilion.

BOWLING enthusiasts are hoping councillors will come their rescue to build a new club house.

Members of Westerfield Bowls Club are keeping their fingers crossed that Suffolk Coastal District Council will come up with the £4,000 they urgently need to replace their ageing pavilion.

They have also reapplied for lottery funding from the Awards for All scheme after failing to secure a lotto grant last year – and this year they are hoping for all the help they can get from the council and

lottery chiefs.

Built in 1928, the roof is leaking and its timbers are rotting. Three years ago the club added a modern annexe containing new toilet and kitchen facilities to the club house using lottery money.

At the time the National Lottery featured the club in its advertisements because of the grant it received in 1998.

It was officially opened with the help of a real-life Maori, who coaxed the club's members into a frenzied rendition of the Haka, the Maori war dance performed by New Zealand rugby teams.

But now its 65 members are making another song and dance for more cash as they consider it would be uneconomical to undertake any further refurbishment to the original structure.

The plan now is to build a wholly new and modern £12,000 wooden club house – but the club is still £4,000 short. "We cannot justify doing any further repair work," explained club captain, John Mortimer. "We are well supported by people from Westerfield and the surrounding villages so it is important that it's seen as a vital facility within the rural area.

"It's a social club as well and lots of our members have lost husbands or wives and it's a form of them getting out and meeting new people."

He added that the club had raised £8,000 from its own fundraising activities and contributions from Westerfield Parish Council and earlier help from Suffolk Coastal.

The council's resources sub committee was due to meet today to decide on the bid from bowls club, which will be vying with other applications for cash.

Mr Mortimer is remaining hopeful. "This application is the best hope we have got," he said.