Work on playing surface commences at Brunton Park

Work on the flood-damaged Brunton Park pitch, home to Carlisle United FC, started this afternoon with 15 to 20mm of the existing surface set to be removed ahead of a complete replacement of the turf, due to start at the beginning of next week

Industry specialists Talbot Sports Turf Installation, who have worked previously at Twickenham, Murrayfield, the Olympic Stadium and with a host of professional football clubs, will carry out the work, with equipment due to arrive on-site over the course of the next two days.

The cost of the pitch replacement process is expected to be between £150,000 and £155,000, with further remedial work to be carried out in the summer ahead of the start of the 2016/17 season.

Speaking about the first phase, the removal of the existing playing surface, stadium manager Dave Mitchell said: "If it all goes to plan we should finish the removal of the top layer by close of play on the first day [Wed 6 Jan].

"We will then look to get all of the remaining debris and vegetation out of what's left behind as part of the preparations for the relaying of the turf, which we will look to start on Monday next week. That preparation includes a procedure called power harrowing and making sure it's as level and as smooth as it can be.

"Each row of turf gets a final prep as it's put down, with a final roll and spread of fertiliser to make sure the new surface will have a good foundation to sit on."

"In terms of getting the turf down, it's been done before in a five-day timescale, but that was with good weather conditions," he explained. "Our target at the moment is to have completed the relay by Friday 15 January. I think we'll all be very pleased if that is the case.

View the full article at www.carlisleunited.co.uk.