Pickering Town have unveiled the latest improvement to their Mill Lane ground as they look to move up the National League System.

The Pikes have erected a removable boundary fence that fully separates the football pitch from the cricket square.

This was part of the on-going ground development programme to satisfy FA Ground Grading Requirements as the club look to progress into the UniBond League.

Chairman Tony Dunning said: "A huge amount of planning was required for this project. The first objective was to obtain permission from all relevant departments/authorities. I would particularly like to thank the Cricket Club for their co-operation on this matter.

"The fence is quite a piece of engineering with 50 panels consisting of wooden slats held together by a steel frame, 51 holes in the ground, 0.5m square, 1.0m deep with steel sockets embedded in a concrete footing up to ground level (these are capped off during cricket season).

"51 steel posts sit in to the steel sockets and the panels are then bolted on.

"The project was managed by the club's Business Adviser Bill McCall.

"The fence was expertly designed and engineered by LH Sleightholme Ltd headed by Steve Marshall. My hat comes off to Steve who went way over and above the call of duty to deliver and without him we could not have possibly completed the project.

"The ground work/preparation was completed by J Thackray & Sons Steel Structures Ltd. Many thanks to Laurie and co. for all their patience regarding the unexpected boulders unearthed during the construction.

"The erecting and dismantling at each end of the football season takes 10 strong club members (or for that matter anyone we can drag off the street on a Sunday morning) approximately 3 hours using a mini tractor and trailer to transport the fence to its place of storage during the cricket season.

"A superb effort from everyone concerned, complements have been coming in from many different quarters!!!

"The funding to cover the cost of the fence came from many different areas such as donations, sponsorship etc. We were also awarded a substantial grant from the Football Stadia Improvement Fund (FSIF) through the Football Foundation."