Twenty-nine acres of flat land have been acquired on the outskirts of Lyme Regis and earmarked for future sporting facilities.

An anonymous benefactor has purchased the land and indicated that he will make it available to develop sporting facilities if required in the future.

The land is adjacent to the Woodroffe School sports pitches on the Devon-Dorset border and close to the old Sidmouth Road football ground.

Lyme Regis Football Club and the Woodroffe School have had meetings with the new owner concerning possible use of the land in the future.

The school is anxious to extend their own sporting facilities and the football club is desperate for more pitches.

The Football Association's Development Officer for the South West, Simon Wood, has visited the site and preliminary discussions have taken place with East Devon District Council with regard to planning permission.

The acquisition of the land was revealed last week by Philip Evans, chairman of Lyme Regis Football Club. Speaking at the club's adjourned annual meeting, Mr Evans said it was unlikely they would ever find a single site to accommodate all the pitch requirements in Lyme Regis.

Said Mr Evans: 'The land at Sidmouth Road has been purchased by someone who wishes to remain anonymous at this moment but who is keen to ensure that sporting facilities can be developed for the youth of the town.

"We made an approach to him when the land came on the market and he responded immediately to protect it for possible use in the future. It was a remarkably generous gesture as this is the only area of flat land left on the outskirts of Lyme Regis.

"Following the disappointment of our failure to secure the Strawberry Field, we have to accept that we can only get more pitches if we adopt a multi-site policy. That may mean having pitches at the Strawberry Field, the Davey Fort and on the land near to the Woodroffe School.

'The town council is working hard to secure some limited facilities at " the Strawberry Field and we have been informed that discussions are continuing with the district council.

"The town council have our full support but we are also looking at other alternatives in case the Strawberry Field project does not proceed.

"As far as the acquisition of land at Sidmouth Road is concerned, it is very early days. The Woodroffe School is interested in securing some of the land and it might be possible for the football club to have some shared facilities.

'The land is in an area of outstanding natural beauty and there is no question of floodlighting or social facilities in that area.

" Mr Evans said the Sidmouth Road land was in the parish of Uplyme, whose residents had been so vociferous over the Strawberry Field project, and it would be interesting to see what the reaction would be".

At the football club's annual meeting, Mr Evans described the last year as one of the most difficult in his nine years in the chair.

"We have managed to keep our head above water financially, but the Strawberry Field project drained all our finances and we have never really caught up."

Although the club showed a profit of over £3,649 this was only because consultants' fees which had been included in last year's creditors had been waived and written back into the accounts,

During the year the bar made a profit of £11,311 but revenue had dropped from £33,000 to £25,000 due to fewer fundraising activities. Costs were also down from £33,000 in 2005 to £21.000 despite the fact the club incurred considerable expense on the celebration of the 25th anniversary of their twinning arrangement with US Creully in Normandy.

The youth section had a successful year, recording a profit of over £600 on turnover of £5 ,000.

Mr Evans told members that the main thrust for the coming season would be to replenish the club's finances whilst building on their youth policy to continue the success the club had enjoyed on the field of play in recent years.