GREAT Harwood Town have been told that they cannot play any home matches until further notice due to the foot and mouth outbreak.

The struggling NWCL Division One club have been told by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries that the Showground is out of bounds as it is within a 3km exclusion zone.

Chairman Bill Holden says the enforced ban could have far reaching consequences both on and off the park.

Great Harwood are currently bottom of the table but were looking forward to a run of home matches against teams also fighting against relegation.

Mr Holden said: "This will effect our season now because we are going to have to play so many games away from home.

"It has come at a time when we thought we could start to climb away from the foot of the table because of the run of home matches coming up."

The chairman also stated that the club would also be hit financial.

He added: "We are not going to fold or anything like that but we are a club who rely on home gate receipts to get us by.

"But now we are not going to have any money coming into the club for a few weeks so it is bound to effect our cash flow situation.

"It doesn't help to know that you are the only NWCL club to be hit."

Meanwhile the club's Worthington Challenge Cup quarter-final clash against Kidsgrove has been switched to Accrington Stanley's Crown Ground on Monday, March 12.

Mr Holden added: "The league were going to make us give up our home advantage and play at Kidsgrove. So I am very grateful to Eric Whalley for letting us play at Accrington Stanley."

Before that though, Great Harwood will travel to Kidsgrove this Friday for a league fixture. Trips to Prescot next Wednesday and Atherton Colleries the following Saturday will follow before the NWCL and MAF (Ministry for Agriculture and Fisheries) will make a decision.