A CRICKET club has celebrated the opening of its newly renovated clubhouse, after months of hard work from volunteers.

Great Bromley and District Cricket Club overhauled its outdated building with a £20,000 grant from Tendring Council's Big Society Fund and a £13,000 cashpot from Essex County Council’s Community Initiatives Fund.

The club was also given donations towards the project and workers gave up their time for free to complete the upgrade.

Club member Paul Bird said: “There are many people who have put in a lot of work and given up a lot of free time for this project.”

Changes to the clubhouse were necessary as two female members, Jessica Bird and Beth Dodd, were called up to the Essex county team.

Paul added: “The clubhouse was very old-fashioned and traditional.

There were no facilities for female players. The changes are fantastic.”

Fred Nicholls, chairman of Tendring Council and John Aldridge, vice-chairman of Essex County Council, opened the new-look building on Friday.