A VILLAGE'S fight to save its recreation ground and rejuvenate a pavilion is gathering momentum.

Hapton was last month set a two part challenge; the first part being to raise around £20,000 to put showers in its pavilion, so Hapton FC -- a member of the Burnley and District Saturday league -- can play on its own ground.

The second was to prove the bowling green is viable after the council threatened to stop maintaining it if it was not used more often.

Darren Brown, player and former manager of the team said: "The amateur league regulations state teams have to have shower facilities."

The team currently has to play all its matches at Padiham.

The village environmental group also hopes to install facilities for bowling green users, including a meeting room and area to sell refreshments. Jo Garrigan, environmental group secretary, said: "We are launching a junior bowling club and we held an open night to see how much support we got for it."

The open night was held this week when, she said, the environment group and parish council, both behind plans to inject new life into the village recreation ground, off Carter Street, would have a fuller picture of how many youngsters were interested in taking up bowls.

They have raised £392 of the £20,000 target, which they have a year to meet. But Jo said she expected around another £500 from a sponsored walk from the Hapton Inn pub on Accrington Road to the summit of Hameldon, a hill above the village, held at the end of March.

She said public support for the scheme had also grown, adding: "There's been a lot of feedback and a few ladies have volunteered to open the pavilion during the afternoon. Things are progressing slowly."

Amended plans for the pavilion by local architect Jack Walsh are to be unveiled at a meeting on April 15.

Developers of a Hapton housing estate three years ago fulfilled a planning agreement by donating £38,000 towards the village's recreation ground off Carter Avenue.

Of that amount £35,000 was spent on levelling the football pitch, which was unplayable as it was on a slope.

The team's progress was then further hampered by the showers regulation.