HOPES of bringing a historic football pitch in Haltwhistle back into community ownership appear to have been dashed.

The Tyne Field near Hadrian Enterprise Park was once home to the town’s all-conquering Crown Paints team, which competed in the premier division of the Northern Alliance league. Part of the site was sacrificed when the Haltwhistle bypass was built in 1997.

The remainder was acquired by Northumberland County Council in 2002, when previous landowner Akzo Nobel closed its paint factory in the town.

The land has been earmarked for employment use in recent years, but in the absence of any industrial or retail developments, the county council has allowed junior football teams to play there.

The authority is currently reviewing its estate in a bid to make efficiency savings, and has this week put eight sites across Northumberland on the market.

At a meeting of Haltwhistle Town Council on Monday, members expressed hopes that the Tyne field site may now be surplus to the county’s requirements.

But despite the enthusiasm of members for taking over the land for the benefit of local footballers, a county council spokesman blew time on their plans.

Town council chairman Coun. Alan Sharp, who is also a county councillor representing the Haydon and Hadrian ward, said the site would be an ideal place for the town to invest in much needed football facilities.

He said: “Football has been at the heart of our problems in this town for years, because of a shortage of facilities.

“There is such a lot of demand for football here, and and we need to offer as much provision for the sport as we possibly can.”

However, speaking on Tuesday, a county council spokesman ruled out any immediate move by the community to take over the site.

He said: “The Tyne Field is not currently for sale, but Northumbeland County Council is constantly in the process of reviewing and rationalising its estate.”