Girls football team dad and manager spend four hours cutting the grass for a game - and are annoyed Havant Borough Council did not

Two residents spent four-and-a-half hours mowing a pitch for a youth football game - and are annoyed as they say the job should’ve been done by the council.
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Everything was in order for the Widbrook United Girls vs Andover New Street Youth under 12’s semi-final on Saturday except for one thing - the grass was too long.

Josh Jeffery, manager of Widbrook United Girls and Colin White, a father of one of the players, were left with no other option at Bartons Green in Leigh Park after Havant Borough Council didn’t respond to their request to have the grass cut.

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Josh Jeffery, manager of Widbrook United Girls and Colin White, a father of one of the players, cutting the grassJosh Jeffery, manager of Widbrook United Girls and Colin White, a father of one of the players, cutting the grass
Josh Jeffery, manager of Widbrook United Girls and Colin White, a father of one of the players, cutting the grass
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Josh said: ‘I emailed the council on Monday or Tuesday saying can you cut the grass - didn’t get a reply.

‘So I and the other dad took it upon ourselves to get a couple of petrol lawnmowers after work and cut the grass for four and a half hours.

‘By the end of it honestly, we were knackered, our legs were aching - on a Friday I finish work at 12.30, I literally finished and went to Bartons Green to cut the grass.

‘One of the lawnmowers broke, we had to take our shoelaces off and attach it to the mower to get it started. We cut about half of the pitch then the lace snapped so we had to use our other laces for the second half.

The epic grass cuttingThe epic grass cutting
The epic grass cutting
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‘It is a bit annoying because you’re paying all that money for the pitch to be maintained.’

Despite the efforts of the volunteers, the Widbrook girls conceded a late goal causing a 2-1 loss.

Keith Turner, chairman of Widbrook Football Club said: ‘The pitch is looked after by Havant council and Norse - they have a contract to cut it once a month and when it’s been raining or whatever they can’t.

‘The funny thing was that they lost the game - they probably should’ve left the grass longer then it wouldn’t have rolled in so quickly.’

Havant Borough Council was approached for comment with no response.