PROGRESSIVE Guisborough have called a halt to major development at their Fountains Garth ground - until they can fence themselves in.

Guisborough, members of the Darlington Building Society North Yorkshire and South Durham League, have completed pavilion development and now have some of the best changing and social facilities in the area.

But the club's cricket committee have decided that until a fence is erected no further major spending will be made on the ground.

They want to be fenced in to prevent people taking a short cut across the square and to stop the ground being used as an exercise area for dogs. Sightscreens are regularly pushed all over the ground and wooden seating has been vandalised.

Guisborough have no covers and Dave Norminton, cricket section chairman, said: "Without covers we do not meet the criteria for Premiership grounds set out by the league.

"Covers would not last five minutes because of all the vandalism we, and the rugby club, are experiencing."

Guisborough are worried that crucial games may be lost to the weather and that they may not be awarded league representative and cup final games - matches they contend the new development deserves and needs.

Guisborough first team members have set up a fence fund. The first money-raising event is a sponsored 17-mile walk from Whitby to Saltburn on August 13.