Hundreds of children are worried about the future of their football league as Richmond Council announced it was withdrawing its commitment.

The Richmond and District five-a-side league, used by around 400 children, learnt that the council could no longer offer "administrative support to the league".

League officials are worried they could lose the right to use the pitches at Heatham House, Twickenham, for future seasons.

League secretary Tony Ward said: "The football league plays a vital role for youngsters in Richmond. For many youngsters it is their only possibility to play football."

A statement released by the council last week tried to reassure those concerned that "the principal youth officer envisages the continuation of five-a-side football at Heatham House into the new season and beyond."

The league has been going for 31 years and some of the youth players who started off there have moved on to top premiership clubs like Chelsea and Wimbledon.

Mr Ward said: "If the league is disbanded it will be a tragedy for the whole borough. Football gets children off the streets and out of trouble."

Young Jo Thatcher, 11, from Trafalgar School, Twickenham, said: "I'm not too happy about this.

"It's fun down there and it's the only time I get to play football. All my friends are annoyed also."

His brother James, 16, a student at Richmond College, said: "I'm extremely disappointed.

``The league gives most of us our only chance to play football and meet up."

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