Villagers are being asked to get behind an £85,000 bid to give Addingham a purpose-built all-weather sports area for the use of the community.

Addingham Civic Society hopes to enlist public support as its prepares funding bids for its proposed multi-user games are.

The society has distributed information leaflets and is urging residents to return a tear-off reply slip showing their support for the scheme and drop it in to Addingham Library or Hadfield Photocraft by Monday.

Planning permission exists for a games area on land between the football field off Stockinger Lane and Addingham Medical Centre, off Main Street.

The fenced and floodlit all-weather playing surface would have football, netball and tennis markings on it.

As well as being available to local sports clubs, schools and youth groups, the civic society hopes tennis lessons could be provided for people of all age groups in the future.

The development of the sports facility may also go hand-in-hand with Addingham Parish Council’s redevelopment of the village football pavilion and extension to provide a new base for Addingham Scouts.

It is hoped toilets and changing facilities at this development will be available for teams and groups using the area.

As well as demonstrating the area will be for all ages groups, the society aims to show it is open to disabled sportsmen and women too.

Society chairman Jim Robinson said: “We have to build a business case. We need to demonstrate it’s going to be used by a wide range of residents. It’s all about encouraging mixed-sex use, disabled use and as wide a range of sports as possible.”