HORSES have trampled on a football pitch in Rivington leaving about 200 holes and angering teams.

Players and coaches from Horwich RMI Junior Football Club arrived at its regular pitch at Rivington and Blackrod High School to find it covered in holes.

Secretary Stewart Burke said the club was frustrated by the damage left behind and said there had been instances of horse riders accessing the field before.

He said: "With these kinds of situations, I just keep thinking about the amount of space there is around Rivington for them.

"But they choose to ride purposefully over a playing field that is marked out with white lines and goalposts.

"It is not just us that uses it, it is the children at Rivington and Blackrod High School that use it.

"We just want them to stop doing this. It is damaging the pitches when there is no reason for it.

"There are plenty of other spaces to do horse riding around Rivington but they have decided to go on these fields, which are used by six teams.

"It just affects everybody and it is pointless."

According to Mr Burke, the fields are used regularly by six of the junior teams on weekends and training during the week.

Up to four teams could be playing on the fields at one time.

The latest complaints came just months after clubs were left fuming after two bikers were caught riding on the fields off Green Lane, which are also used by football clubs in the town including Horwich RMI.

The incidents led to calls to install fencing in order to keep vehicles off the land.