A THRIVING Cockermouth football club needs to find "essential" funding to support its many members.

Cockermouth Junior Football Club moved to Tarn Close four years ago, having secured a 30-year lease from the town council.

Since then numbers have soared to 350 playing members, of which about 60 are girls.

The club is now desperate to install toilets and changing facilities, improve the potholed site entrance which is liable to flooding and also the parking area.

Chairman Des Wright said: "Despite the huge growth and success of the club over the last three to four years there are a number of barriers to the club's continued success.

"We urgently need financial support. We've developed a successful operating model for the club but as an amateur club we cannot do this without support."

Last year was the first time the club had girls' teams representing all ages - under 8s/ 10s/ 14 and 16s.

"It's absolutely superb to have so many girls, that was an important target. It also increases the need for toilets and changing facilities," said Des.

The club has not been able to secure funding from Allerdale Borough or Cockermouth Town Council. It is hoping the Football Association will be able to help.

An FA representative will be shown round the site later this month.

"We need a plethora of organisations to support us but are hoping the FA will be one of our major supporters," said Des.

"We are hoping they can advise us on our options, things need to be done to their specification."

The club has already invested significantly in the site. They spend up to £3,000 a year maintaining the pitches and have invested up to £8,000 on goals.

They will be spending approximately £7,000 improving the entrance area which is prone to flooding.

Toilet, changing facilities and utilities could cost from £100,000 to £400,000 depending on what type of building they opt for.

"This depends on what funding support we get, the options range from a freight container to a small building," said Des.

"Funding is essential, we have aspirations to have a senior FC, walking football, we want to open it up to everyone who wants to play football but we need to have basic facilities first."

The club is keen to hear from other sports groups within the town.

"Tarn Close is a superb asset for the town. If other sports clubs would like to be part of what what we trying to do we would like to speak to them," said Des.