FOR many years I have battled with Bury Council over the extortionate rates for the hire of football pitches in the borough.

Their insistence on closing their ears and defending their position has resulted in the decimation of grass roots football in this area. Where once we had thriving leagues in Bury and Radcliffe, we now have a ragged array of teams fighting just to survive and performing in a less than adequate environment.

"We have no money" is the response thrown back at us time and time again, and the fact that to my knowledge Bury has the highest rate for pitch hire in the United Kingdom is greeted with a shrug of the shoulders.

So readers can imagine my utter disbelief and frustration at Bury Metro investing £50,000 in sponsoring Bury FC. How can they get away with it? This is pure hypocrisy and we should not allow these individuals to rub our noses in the expensive dirt of Bury.

Would they answer these questions.

Where has this money suddenly come from? Why is it not being used for the benefit of amateur football? Why are they sponsoring a professional football club? What about other struggling businesses in the area; what financial help do they get? If you look at Bury FC's average home attendance, then consider the number of taxpayers in the borough, are we really getting value for money? If I want to put my money into Bury FC I should have a choice.

So come on councillors, explain yourselves.

DAMIAN SMYTH,

Park Avenue, Radcliffe.