YOUNGSTERS in Kidlington will finally have somewhere to have a kick-about after school after a year-long campaign for a new goal.

Members of Kidlington FC's youth council asked the club for funding last year for a new goal at their base in Evans Lane after getting frustrated that the posts were being taken down between matches.

After being given the £700 needed, the young players spent the past year seeking permission from the parish council and researching what type of goal to buy.

Now their hard work has paid off and the fledgling footballers are delighted.

Georgina Thompson, 13, said: "It's been a year, but really worth it."

Josh Pipkin, 13, added: "I'm so happy that all the hard work has paid off."

Under-16's coach Caroline Drake, who helped lead the fundraising, said that since the posts were put up last month she had seen a big uptake of children using the park.

She said: "This is a youth club and we want the kids to have a big say in what goes on with their teams.

"We set up the club council about a year ago and one of the first things they said was that they wanted somewhere in Kidlington they could properly play football.

"If you ask children what they want it will often be very different to adults: grown-ups might want something like training kit but it's not the same for children.

"They just want to be able to play football."

The land is owned by Kidlington Parish Council and is leased to the Kidlington Recreational Trust which manages the park.

To get permission for the posts the footballers sent a letter to the council saying why their proposals should go ahead.

They also gave a presentation to the football club's committee on the costs involved, and carried out research on what sort of goal they would like.

Ms Drake added: "Since we got approval the children have been sourcing the right goal to buy, and they've been really pleased with the result.

"The posts are now used all the time – every time I go past the park there's people playing by the goal."

She also thanked volunteer co-ordinator Lee Smith, who helped set up the council and helped with the presentation and creating the proposal.

Speaking about the new goal, council member Callum Rolfe, 15, said: "Football is such a good way for people to interact.

"I'm really glad that we've finally got the goal."