Plans by Petersfield Cricket Club to take a stand against unwanted visitors have been backed by town councillors.

The club received a helping hand from cricket fans around the world last year after their pitch was twice churned up by joyriders.

But they don’t want a hat-trick, so they’ve asked the town council for permission to install bollards at access points around their historic ground on the Heath to prevent another incursion.

The proposals include five lockable retractable bollards - four at an access point close to the pavilion and a singular one close to the Heath corner of the Durford Road crossroads.

And although the latter may have to be removed when road safety improvements are eventually made to the accident blackspot, town councillors were happy to back the plans.

“After what happened last year I would propose we agree,” said Cllr Anne Stephenson when the PTC Sports, Recreation & Environment Committee met on Thursday (June 5).

The cricket club is also looking beyond the boundary as they’ve offered to maintain four surrounding barrows.

The Heath is one of the most important Bronze Age burial sites in the South and boasts more than 20 barrow mounds.

Four of these are close to the cricket pitch but vegetation has not been checked in recent years, with emerging saplings and brambles threatening their stability.

The club has proposed a management plan with vegetation clearance and cutting work at set times of the year, with Heritage England all but giving the thumbs up to their plans.

The committee agreed to the request as the barrows will be “quite visible” once the vegetation has been cleared. But town clerk, Rochelle Halliday, hinted at an ulterior motive.

She said: “There’s a particular reason - cricket balls often get lost so they’ll be able to find them easier.”