ANGRY bowlers say they have been forced off their green at a Leigh pub after more than 60 years because of rocketing prices.

Members of the Sportsman's Bowling Club based at the pub of the same name on Firs Lane are furious that prices have shot up from £10 a season to £30 per game for each team.

But the club has refused to jack it in. And members have now moved to The Tamar Pub on Wigan Road.

They blame the new landlady for bumping up prices in a bid to turf them off so the pitch can be used for five-a-side football.

However, landlady Carleen Leyland said that prices had been increased to pay for bills because bowling club members were no longer using the pub during games.

Chairman of the club, Roy Jackson, said: "They are trying to kick us off the green. All of a sudden they expect us to pay this huge amount. On top of that they want us to go into the pub and pay for our drinks. It's ridiculous.

"There's 30 years hard work gone into that green. We've put in lots of improvements."

The club has more than 60 members and has won scores of trophies over the years including the All England Championship and have been champions of Lancashire four times in recent years.

It is a thriving club with a full ladies team and mixed team.

Member Jim Glover, aged 55, of Gloucester Street, Atherton, said: "There's plenty of memories at that green. It's known to crown green bowlers all over the country. All the top names have played there. It's a historic association with the pub which has been broken and I think it's very sad."

Club members have funded the maintenance of the green costing £500 per year and each member paid £10 per season -- which lasts from April to September.

Mr Jackson said the club had just paid for a new shed, flags, roofing on the veranda and floodlights on the green.

He said the club had offered to pay a set fee of £1,000 per year for the green but while the brewery, Inns Partnership, has agreed the landlady refused.

But landlady Mrs Leyland said: "We pay for the facilities on the condition that they come in and use the pub but last year they didn't come in the pub. They use the lights and the water. When the bills came in, we decided to ask them to pay a little bit towards using the green. We just wanted that little bit back. If you're using somebody's facilities, I don't think that's unreasonable."