A CRICKET club has raised enough money to buy a new electronic scorebox for the new season.

Hartlepool Cricket Club, which was founded in 1855 and plays in the North Yorkshire and South Durham Premier League, recently unveiled the new box at its Park Drive ground.

Hartlepool Cricket Club chairman Alan Jackson said: "We are very grateful for the support from the local community.

"The previous electronic scorebox was opened in 1987 by our late President and former player Ken Gardner. It has operated with an electronic system since 1999 and after 18 years it had come to the end of its working life.

"We are very proud of the sporting opportunities which our club provides for local people and it's great to see the community coming together to help enhance our facilities."

Funding came from the dealership Drive Hartlepool and the council's Staff Lottery fund as well as contributions from the ward budgets of the three local councillors for the area, Brenda Loynes, George Morris and Ray Martin-Wells.

The club has three senior teams playing in the NYSD leagues and has six junior teams from under-nines to under-17s.

Park Drive also hosts Durham County Cricket Club matches on occasions and regularly hosts cricket festivals, school tournaments and representative matches.