PARISH councillors are to seek a meeting with a Premiership football club after it was accused of being a bad neighbour.

Hurworth Parish Council has agreed to send the request to chiefs at Middlesbrough FC, which has a multi-million pound training complex at the village's Rockcliffe Park site.

The move comes after Councillor Roderick Burtt called for the Carling Cup winners to become more involved with the community.

At a meeting on Tuesday, he said the club's attitude to the village had been lacking in manners at times.

"They could be helpful to us in our everyday lives and in our fundraising," he said.

His comments came after controversial plans for a mobile telephone mast at Rockcliffe Park emerged, causing anger among residents.

Three councillors agreed to form a group that would ask for discussions with the club.

They could ask if Middlesbrough is prepared to send representatives to next month's Picnic in the Park event at the Grange Community Centre.

Council chairman Clive Bullock said: "What we want out of this small working party is a mutual exchange of views and friendly at that."

The club said it was prepared to meet parish councillors and was proud of the support it had given the community since its move to Hurworth seven years ago.