Flood-hit Malmesbury Victoria Football Club has launched a campaign today to raise £5,000 to keep them afloat until the end of the season.

Club officials woke this morning to further flooding covering the entire pitch, just two weeks after both the grounds and clubhouse were submerged in water after the river burst its banks.

The club had spent the last year trying to get themselves back on track after the devastating floods of November 2012, only to be hit again 13 months later.

The club said in a statement issued today: “The further recent flooding after similar major flooding in 2012 has again produced a perilous financial situation for the club.

“Postponed matches and social functions coupled with the further costs of repairs and flood avoidance measures have depleted the club’s reserve funding to nil.

“In order to ensure the continuance of the club, founded in the town in 1898, the committee is launching an immediate appeal with the aim of raising £5,000 as soon as ever possible. “Such an amount will ensure the club’s survival to the end of the season and hopefully meet any further losses should further flooding occur.”

The appeal will include an opportunity for people to make donations directly through Just Giving, a raffle, a Valentine’s Dance at the club on Saturday, February 15, an Easter egg hunt and race night, plus regular monthly karaoke evenings.
Club secretary Julie Exton said: “The more the clubhouse is used for social functions the better as the finance generated forms a vital part of the club’s income.”
Meanwhile, rugby player Andy Kyriacou spent his 31st birthday on Saturday trying to save his home from being destroyed by flooding.


Mr Kyriacou, who coaches Cardiff Blues, bought the
cottage in Sutton Benger’s High Street on December 6.
Before the month was out he and his wife Rebecca, who works as a languages teacher, both had to take time off work to pump water out of the new house they share with two-year-old son Teddy.


Mrs Kyriacou, 31, said: “Historically the drains have not been great and now they can’t cope anymore. There’s a break in the pipe bang in the front of our drive and the water’s coming up from underneath the house.


“Wiltshire Council has said it needs to replace it with plastic piping, but can’t tell us when that will be done. Luckily, sandbags were provided by Wessex Water.”
When their own pump broke down on Saturday they were aided by firefighters from Chippenham at 10am.