A BELOVED bowling club is being given a new lease of life to the tune of £500.

The Westhoughton Veterans Bowling Club was appealing for the help of the town council at Monday's meeting.

Linda Winrow-Baker, the chair of the Westhoughton Vets Bowling Club, made a presentation on behalf of the group, requesting a grant of £500 for vital improvements.

The club can be found in Westhoughton's Central Park and is a service used by many older people in the area.

She said: "We really feel that we should have a good display of flowers. Families and children go in there for their lunch and to play — it's part of the park.

"It seems a lot, £300, for flowers, but it takes £100 for each tier and there are three."

Ms Winrow-Baker added: "The fridge and the freezer are a disgrace.

"Nothing freezes, the drawers are broken, it leaks."

She said: "We do a lot of events but they don't raise very much money.

"We would be very grateful if we could get £500, because it's well-used.

"We are all in our 70s, 80s and 90s.

"Some people would have nowhere to go and talk if it was not for this hut."

Bowling greens in Bolton have become a topic of conversation in leadership circles.

In February, it was revealed that ownership of Bolton's 28 bowling greens will be handed over from Bolton Council to the clubs' users in a phased move to total self-management.

This move follows a spate of vandalism targeted at bowling greens in Bolton, with clubhouses being smashed and greens being torn up.

Bowling clubs including Doe Hey Bowling Green Club in Farnworth, along with another Westhoughton bowling green at The Red Lion in Wigan Road, have both seen damage from vandals in recent years.

The council voted unanimously to grant the full £500 to the bowling club.