A football facility which recently underwent a £100,000 upgrade is to remain closed for the foreseeable future – leaving teams with nowhere to play.

More than 250 footballers take part in Soccersixes leagues at Pitchside in Stanhope Road, Ashford, each week.

But the site, owned by Ashford Borough Council, shut suddenly at the beginning of August and all games had to be cancelled after it was targeted by vandals.

The netball and tennis courts at the neighbouring Courtside facility reopened at the start of September, but Pitchside's grass and 3G football pitches are set to remain closed until next year.

Council bosses say more work than anticipated is needed to bring them up to scratch.

They spent £100,000 upgrading Pitchside last spring, installing new floodlights on the 3G and grass pitch, new goals, fencing and a new boiler in the changing rooms.

But the site's closure means Soccersixes players will not be able to return for "the foreseeable future" – and the contract it has had with the council has been terminated suddenly.

League manager Rob Unsworth said: "They cancelled the bookings without any warning and there has been no communication.

"We've got 250-odd lads with nowhere to play."

Mr Unsworth admits there are long-running "issues" at the site – but a much of it is out of their control.

"Local youths turn up on scooters around the pitch – they're not associated with my booking – but it is very hard to police those people because there is no security," he said.

"I got an email to say it has been closed indefinitely saying the pitch and surroundings are worse than they thought but they still haven't said what is wrong with it.

"We have got other leagues at the North School; we can try and get another booking there but it's not the same.

"We've got 250-plus players who for the past month have just been sat at home with nothing to do.

"They need it for their mental health, to see their friends."

Mr Unsworth added: "The way we have been treated is disgusting.

"The most frustrating thing is that the facility needs work and it always has done.

'It affects the active weekly sport activity of so many people in the local area...'

"It has never been locked up and policed well from vandals but the council have never cared before, so why do they now?

"We spend more than £2,500 a month with them, which is £30,000 a year and it feels like we don’t matter."

Soccersixes has hired the facility almost every week for eight years.

Sixteen teams play on a Monday between 7pm and 9pm, eight teams play on a Tuesday between 6.45pm and 8.45pm, and on Thursdays another 16 teams play between 7pm and 9pm.

In a statement posted on the council's website earlier this month, it said: "Pitchside (3G and grass pitches) will remain closed for the foreseeable future.

"Following closer inspection of the facilities, they appear to be in worse condition than we originally thought and are likely to remain closed for the autumn/winter period.

"This is to ensure that the pitch does not deteriorate any further whilst we review the repair/upgrade options available along with the associated costs and timelines for procuring and undertaking any required works.

"Due to the substantial nature of the work required and the unknown timeframe, a decision has been made that all previously made bookings for Pitchside have been cancelled rather them being put on hold."

The authority says no funding has been taken from any September bookings.

"Any further updates on future booking availability will be made once we have more details on the likely nature and potential timescales," it added.

'I will be asking for a full investigation...'

But following the decision, Ross Spacey, managing director at Soccersixes, is asking ABC to help them find an urgent solution so leagues can restart as soon as possible.

"I will be asking in an open letter to local councillors and various bodies for a full investigation into the shambolic nature in which this issue has been dealt with," he said.

"The staff within the council who have dealt with this issue should be accountable and give answers as to why it has taken a month, not only to get basic information, but also now in a decision to shut the pitch, which affects the wellbeing and active weekly sport activity of so many people in the local area."

When approached by KentOnline this week, ABC said it did not have anything further to add.