A HOCKEY club has persuaded Bolton West MP Chris Green to train with its players as they fight to save their pitch.

Horwich Hockey Club will be hosting the Conservative politician as well as a number of supporters, family and friends at a session at Horwich Leisure Centre.

It is part of the group’s drive to save the astroturf pitch at the facility, which could be replaced with 3G pitches as part of the multi-million pound renovation of the centre.

If the plan to remove the astroturf goes ahead then the club would have to relocate to a pitch in Chorley, a 30 minute drive from Horwich, as hockey can’t be played on 3G pitches.

Christina Sanderson, treasurer of Horwich Hockey Club, said: “It would be a massive blow and the majority of the team here are based in Horwich or in Bolton.

“If Bolton Council goes ahead with the plans, we would have to go all the way out to Chorley.

“It is just ridiculous because we don’t think there’s anything wrong with the astroturf pitch.”

An online petition was set up last year calling on Bolton Council and Bolton Community Leisure to support the club by re-thinking the type of replacement playing surface.

The petition has been signed by 767 people.

Horwich Hockey Club was only formed in 2014 and in their debut season the men’s first team won, and gained promotion from the North West League Division Six North South (CORR) league.

They were joined by a women’s team the following year which has also experienced success, becoming champions of Greater Manchester League Division Four in 2016/17.

Mrs Sanderson said the teams’ strong progression could be hindered if the pitch was resurfaced.

She said: “We are just getting stronger and stronger and now they are trying to take away our pitch.

“We have got a lot of support from the local people because this is where we should be.

“There’s nothing wrong with the pitch and we probably give them £800 every year for the matches and then some more for training.

“So they do get quite a bit of money out of us.

“We’re not sure what we’d do or if we’d be able to carry on if we lost the pitch.”

Training with Mr Green is due to take place on Thursday evening.

A council spokesman said: “The council and our partners are aware of these concerns and are currently working through the options before progressing with a preferred scheme.”

To view the petition, go to change.org/p/bolton-council-save-horwich-hockey-club-s-pitch