A rugby club is celebrating taking possession of its new 'field of dreams'.
Wymondham Rugby Football Club has taken over 30 acres of land off the B1172 Norwich Common from its former owners Alan Barnard, 87, and his son Robert, a farming family who themselves have a long history with the club.
The club plans to turn the site into a multi-million pound, state-of-the-art facility with a two-storey clubhouse, four main pitches - including an all-weather 3G pitch - and extra pitches for the club's youth and minis' sections.
Andrew Kilby, club chairman, said he was delighted the club could finally start work on the relocation from its current site in Tuttles Lane.
He said: 'This land really is a field of dreams for us. The club was started more than 40 years ago with a handful of players and now we've got 1,400 members and more than 20 different teams.
'Alan and Robert's sporting interests in Norfolk span rugby, football, cricket, golf, bowls and even horse racing but nowhere is their help more appreciated than here – this has secured our future.'
Robert Barnard said: 'I joined Wymondham Rugby Club back in 1979 and went on to play for all four teams and in almost every position.
'It's been great to see the club grow over the years and now at last it will have the opportunity to build the facilities it needs and deserves.
'The current site at Tuttles Lane cannot cope any more and the move will treble the area available for playing and training.'
Robert Barnard is a past chairman and president of the club, and is now back serving on the development committee overseeing the move.
He said: 'We're very lucky on the committee to have club members from various sectors of the construction business and our task is to build the best facilities possible for the club within a limited budget.'
Work transforming the land will start this spring as the pitches are laid out.
The first games are due to be played at the new site at the start of the 2018 season.
There are plans for 90 new homes to be built on the club's Tuttles Lane site, and an extra 300 homes are earmarked for a site to the south-east of the new rugby club. Access to the new rugby club will be through this new estate.
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