THE MINISTRY Of Defence have broken their silence over the future of a much-loved Aberporth sports ground amid fears that it may be lost to the community.

Question marks were raised over The Sports Field in Parcllyn after the Tivy-Side disclosed that the MOD were looking to sell both the Hillside Road pitch and the children’s play area opposite.

Ceredigion MP Ben Lake – who played football at the venue as a child – described the news as ‘deeply concerning and disappointing’ and pledged to lobby the MOD to ensure that the site remained as a local sports facility.

“The Sports Field is a vital asset to the community, providing much-needed space for activities that aid people's physical and mental health,” he added.

Now the MOD have confirmed they no longer need the facility, while recognising that it was ‘an important local asset’.

“We are currently considering ways in which this sports field can remain available to the community,” a spokesperson told the Tivy-Side.

She added that the site formerly occupied by the former Aberporth Sports and Social Club under a lease from the Defence Infrastructure Organisation was to be sold on the open market ‘as it is surplus to Defence requirements’.

The Sports Field has been the home of Aberporth Football Club since World War Two and the club’s nickname ‘The Airmen’ acknowledges their long-time connections with the former Royal Aircraft Establishment.