Last month the Guardian revealed how Farington Parish Council told BTR U11s they couldn't play on BTR land off Centurion Way because it had given permission to a rival club in Walton-le-Dale.

Former Farington parish councillors Christine Harrison and Judith England have slammed the decision as ludicrous and claim rivals Walton West End should not be allowed sole use of the pitches.

Ms England said: "We are not wanting favouritism it is just that a team from Walton-le-Dale has got a monopoly on a field that the people of Farington are paying the precept and taxes for."

Her former colleague Miss Harrison added: "There are potentially three pitches available on the site and the fact that Walton-le-Dale are going to be solely using the site seems ludicrous.

"I am very conscious that the precept is very high and the pitches should be used by a majority of Farington-based teams."

Meanwhile, BTR coach Shaun Bradbury, who is also managing director of Wrennalls Carpet Care, remained frustrated: "We went to the council in 2005 and they told us that we would have to fund the work needed to bring the pitches up to the standard needed if we were going to use them to train children and play matches there, which are set by the league.

"We have been fundraising and gathering sponsorship and when we went back to tell them we could start work the next day they told us that Walton West End had now been given permission to use the pitch.

"Since the article in the Guardian, we have received a lot of support from business owners and residents and a number of schools in the area have contacted us to see if they can help but the fact is that we have three teams that are ready to start in September but we have no pitch.

"All we want to do is give kids in Leyland a chance but we aren't being allowed."

A spokesman for Farington Parish Council said: "We just wanted to see the land used. The BTR football team approached us and we agreed that they could use the land for 12 months in 2005. They didn't contact us for an extension.

"We have never said they had to raise the money for the facilities as it has always been available and we have just been waiting for planning permission. The Walton West End lads are from across the area including South Ribble and the fields have always been known as BTR Recreational Ground."