DORCHESTER Town have announced they are set to install a 3G pitch at the Avenue Stadium and hope it will be ready prior to the start of next season. 

The club have appointed McArdle Sport-Tec and Tiger Turf to construct a state of the art 3G pitch, which will start on Tuesday, May 1 and aims to be open by mid-July 2018.

The club say the project would not have been possible without the support of Dorchester Town Youth FC, Dorchester Town Council, West Dorset District Council, Dorset County Council, The Duchy of Cornwall.

The club also thanked those from the community who donated £50 for a square on the Pitch for the Community fundraiser, which raised £15,000 within three days of its launch back in February.

The club said in a statement: "We see the future of the Avenue Stadium as a hub for football in the area, it will become a home for the Dorchester Town Youth teams, somewhere for them to train and play matches in a safe, secure environment, allowing them to grow in numbers."

The club is in talks with a twice weekly six-a-side league open to all adults, there will be holiday soccer schools over the summer and all future school holidays as well as a youth tournament for DTYFC players.

There will also be a six-a-side preseason tournament for local adult teams and a staff vs supporter fundraising match.

In addition, the club have just been approved as an SSE Wildcats centre offering football for girls in the 5-11 age range and Kixstart will be able to train and play their games there as well should they wish to do so.