A FOUR-YEAR development project at the Davey Fort, the home of Lyme Regis Football Club, is drawing to close and should be completed before the Seasiders start their home fixtures.

Phase one of the project was in construction of a new £60,000 kitchen followed by the erection of a 63-seater stand on the southern side of the pitch.

Work is now near completion on new drainage for the notoriously wet Davey Fort pitch and the construction of a retaining wall to extend the car park which will soon be tarmaced. New site fencing is also being erected and the clubhouse is being painted inside and put, a contracted entrusted to two Lyme players, Chris Higgs and Pete Peacock, who run their own painting and decorating businesses. At the same time, the minimum-sized pitch at the Davey Fort has been widened by three metres.

The project, costing in the region of £140,000 has been made possible with a match funding grant of £100,000 from Lyme Regis Town Council with the club having to raise £12,500 for each £25,000 given by the council.

All the work should be finished before the Seasiders' first home fixture in early October with the exception of the car park extension which will be allowed to settle before being tarmaced.

Lyme Regis Football Club field two sides in the Devon & Exeter League, the first team playing in the Premier East division, and the Reserves in the Division One East League.

The Seasiders' third senior eleven, Lyme Rovers, play in Division one of the Perry Street League. The club also have a number of youth teams, run by Martin Wright, and are hoping to start a girl's team in the bear future.

The club also has a new management team with Mark Bailey, one of the most respected players in the area, and Julien Simier, an excellent coach, running the first tea which is now competing in the highest level in the club's history Former Lyme players Nick Tregale and Darren Stewart are managing Lyme Reserves and Rob Larcombe is looking after the Rovers with the help of a number of players.