PARENTS and officials of a Thurrock youth football team have spoken optimistically of a brighter and better relationship between themselves and Thurrock Council over the maintenance of local football pitches.

Last week Thurrock Nub News reported on the anger following the deployment of a council work team that effectively made the King George Playing Field in Linford unusable.

Parents, residents and club supporters from Linford Wanderers rallied to clear away huge amounts of grass cuttings and while some training sessions were lost, a charity match scheduled for last Saturday was able to go ahead.

One of the most vehement critics of Thurrock Council was Wanderers' football secretary Barry Edwards. A week on, and after much conversation with the council, which has made commitments to future care of the playing fields, Barry says he is optimistic things may get better.

He told Nub News this evening (Friday, 10 September): "The council have now cleared all the cuttings from the Rec for us.

"We have been in dialogue with them this week which was very constructive and we have been told the Rec will be looked after properly.

"Hopefully footballers and local residents from now on in will be happy people. We are now having positive thoughts it should be good going forward."