Rishton United FC is asking for your votes to help them win £25,000.

The football club is seeking a grant from the Aviva Community Fund to improve the playing fields used for training and holding matches.

Under the plans the existing Norden Playing Fields will be altered to accommodate two new pitches, bringing the total number up to four for community use.

Bosses said over the past decade the quality of the pitches have deteriorated with now around 30 per cent of games being cancelled or postponed.

The club currently has 16 teams for ages seven to 16, however in previous years there were 24 teams.

There is also a Nippers group for children as young as five and a couple of adult teams.

Chic Kelly, chairman of Rishton United, said they want to ‘build on their 30 years of success’ and play football on good facilities.

He said: “This Aviva fund was something that was brought to my attention as it’s for clubs and organisations trying to do some good for the community, which we are.

“I have done a business case and sent it through to them with photographs to explain the actual project plan and what we are trying to do with the fields in Rishton.

“I got an email back to say it had been accepted and people can now vote.

“I’ve been sending out emails and putting things on Facebook and Twitter trying to encourage people to go online and vote for the project.

“Whether we make the final or not I don’t know but at least it is raising more awareness of what we are trying to do.”

The club has already received £75,000 from Hyndburn council and £50,000 from Sports England, however is still £100,000 short of its target.

Chic said: “If we got that then phase one could start which is upgrading the existing fields.

“This £25,000 would go a long way to doing that.

“It would also be a boost for morale and the club and it would help us when going to other stakeholders to say we have got this support.

“We want to get the lease signed off over the next few months, raise the money to get the work done and get the kids all playing on that park.”

To vote visit community-fund.aviva.co.uk/voting/Project/View/1569