Uplyme & Lyme Regis Cricket Club is under threat of folding as it is struggles to find enough players.

With nearly 140 years' worth of history behind it, the club is at serious risk of not being able to field a team next season. 

The club's secretary Derek Wellman has vowed they 'will not give up without a fight' as it tries to find solutions to the problem. 

The club has announced it will be holding a crucial meeting to discuss the future of the club which it said was 'in jeopardy'.

Speaking to the News, Mr Wellman said: "The underlying issue is player availability, since going down to one side in 2019, we have had nothing to draw back on and when you get to the summer holiday months in June and July it is a real struggle to field a team.

"The club dissolving is ultimately the worse case scenario but at the same time we are trying to find a way forward as we don't know how much longer we can go on with the current scenario.

"I doubt the members will say we have to dissolve the club, so we are looking at alternatives."

Club members and anyone interested in playing or helping to with its administration for next season are therefore being asked to attend the meeting at the clubhouse in Uplyme on Thursday, November 21, at 7pm. 

Mr Wellman added: "By getting the news out there we might get lucky and pick up a few more players, but a lot of people who come to the area are past their playing days, but we won't give up without a fight."

Despite the player shortage, the club is doing well financially but having to pull out of the Saturday league, which it has been in since 1988, and would have an impact on its ability to generate money from the bar at the clubhouse after games. 

By only playing friendlies and in the T20 competitions, games at the club would be significantly reduced.

Mr Wellman continued: "The finances are fairly good but if you haven't got a team, you can't play cricket.

"We are just in an area where there is a gap of 18-35 year-olds because of work commitments so we have to draw players from Exeter.

"So it is about how the club go forward and what standard of cricket we want to play.

"Do we pull out of the league? Do we just play T20 and other friendly games, these are all discussion points for the meeting.

"We have been here since 1886 so nearly 140 years so it would be disappointing."