Prince William travelled to Trungle Parc in Cornwall – the home of Mousehole AFC – after personally stepping in to help solve a pothole nightmare blighting the club
Prince William officially opened a new road today leading to a non-league football club after personally stepping in to help solve its pothole nightmare.
The Prince of Wales, who is a huge football fan and patron of the FA, kept his promise to Mousehole AFC by visiting their home ground of Trungle Parc in Cornwall after helping to form a consortium to transform access to the club. The Southern League Division One South Club, based close to Land’s End in the tiny village of Paul, had faced a raft of problems after the pothole-ridden road to the ground caused a logistical headache for supporters and visiting teams.
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Visiting to open the new road, the prince was told that work on creating it was carried out in just four weeks. And he joked with the contractors that it now means they will be asked to be quicker on other jobs.
He added: “Thanks, guys I really appreciate what you have done for the club and the community. It’s in a grey area, it’s hard for the club to get funding, but by working together, it got done.”
William took action after reading last year that the most westerly club in the English leagues was rising up the ranks despite the state of its road.
The football club is not on Duchy of Cornwall land but it is in a remote Cornish community that the prince, who is also Duke of Cornwall, wanted to personally support.
The prince and his Duchy of Cornwall estate worked with CRH, a building materials group, to see if they could solve the issue. During William’s visit yesterday, about 250 people, including local children, welcomed him. He met club members, supporters and players and was mobbed by the under-10 players, who all wanted to shake his hand and have their photo taken with him.
Board member Norma Richardson, who has been a supporter of the club for more than 30 years, said: “This is a small club, what brought me here was our boys playing football. It may be a small club, but it feels like a big family.”
While supporter Simon Taylor said the road has brought people together, and now about 200 people watch the team in action.
He said: “I can’t put into words what this new road means for the club. It makes such a massive difference. There used to be congestion in the village leading up to the grounds. It wasn’t great even for the home supporters coming to the home games. But as a result, the attendance level has gone up by 50 people.
“It’s amazing. A lot of our new supporters are coming on board. They have become volunteers on match days and other days. It has brought a lot of people together, the club. It’s just fantastic.
“What William did on the pitch with the players and the youngsters is incredible. The way he talked to the contractors who helped make the new road happen was brilliant. It was like he knew all about it – which is remarkable. I am a very happy man today.
