DUDLEY Kingswinford will boost mini and junior rugby at the club by creating two new pitches at Heathbrook this summer.

The club has been able to rent land behind the clubhouse from the May McMaster Memorial Trust, with the land having previously been used by the scouts and Kewford Eagles FC.

They plan to create two mini and junior pitches there in time for the start of next season, which will add to their existing three match pitches at the front and a training pitch.

Roger Shakespeare, chairman of the DK’s ground committee, said: “It’s good news that we have now been able to rent the land and can offer more pitches for our minis and juniors.

“We are overflowing with young people wanting to play the sport, so will be busy marking out the new pitches this summer.”

The new land isn’t the only close-season change at DK during the off-season.

The squash club has now closed and will be reopened as a commercial gym and fitness centre.

Shakespeare confirmed: “It got to the point where the squash facility would have needed a lot of money spent on it.

“Instead the club is renting out the area to an outside business that will regenerate and run a gym.

“It means the club will benefit from the rent and won’t need to fund the upkeep. They are hoping to open it by the end of July.”