LYME Regis Football Club, currently fund raising for new pitches and facilities at Strawberry Field, has no intention of giving up its lease on its present home at Davey Fort until it expires in 2018.

The Seasiders will use the ground as a third pitch to accommodate youth football, the council's recreations and amenities committee was informed on Wednesday night.

The information, contained in a letter from the football Club chairman, was revealed when the committee considered a request for a council mini sports strategy to enable the football club to seek grant aid from the district council for the Strawberry field development.

Members also learned that the Strawberry Field Sub Committee had asked the council to administer all of the town's recreational areas, including Strawberry Field, Davey Fort and the children's playing field, under one charitable trust. Town clerk Michael Lewis would be bringing recommendations to the finance committee next Wednesday.

Proposals for the mini sports strategy were tabled by Coun Lorna Jenkin, with Coun Stan Williams stressing they were her proposals and not necessarily those of the council.

The council, he said, had bought Strawberry Field for recreational purposes, the specific sporting uses being left to the football club.

"The football club kindly said they would take it on. We are not involved in that," added Coun Williams.

Noting that Coun Jenkin's perceived priorities for the sports strategy included the possible creation of a skateboard park at Davey Fort ground, Coun Barbara Austin reminded members that the ground was owned by trustees, not the football club.

The proposed sports strategy, which will be discussed at the next full council meeting, also lists various sporting activities, including cricket and tag rugby, for Strawberry Field, an open picnic area in the Charmouth Road Car park vicinity and support for the Woodroffe School is its efforts to open its excellent sports facilities to the town