FOOTBALLERS in Bridgwater will soon be able to play through the flooding thanks to a new state-of-the-art pitch at Bridgwater College Academy.

The ‘3G’ pitch will have a new type of artificial turf surface which executive head teacher Peter Elliott says is “significantly better” than the old version.

Mr Elliott said: “Most people’s memory of artificial turf is falling and burning your knees, but this pitch isn’t sand-based, so that won’t happen.”

The pitch will be used by students during and immediately after school hours, but will be open to community football teams after school and all day at weekends.

The pitch is FA-approved for football, and rugby can be played there, too.

Floodlights will also be installed, so teams can play until 10pm.

Mr Elliott said: “There are 72 football teams in Bridgwater and something like six pitches.

“We’ve already attracted a large amount of interest from our local community football teams who will be able to train and play fixtures on the pitch in the evenings and at weekends.

“It can be used 15 hours a day without getting muddy, and it doesn’t flood because it will have drainage under the pitch.”

The pitch was funded in part thanks to a grant from the Football Foundation.

Mr Elliott said: “We’re extremely grateful to our colleagues at the Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership, the Somerset FA and the Football Foundation for all their hard work and support in realising this ambition for our students and community.”

Construction work on the new pitch will begin this week and it is due to be completed in June.