It is the oldest football team of its type in the UK, but councillors have heard a bleak assessment of the current state of the game for Welton Rovers.

The club, which was founded in 1887, provided the opportunity for the mining community of Midsomer Norton and Radstock to play and watch football. But now the games are often watched by fewer than 50 supporters, the players get "pennies" in expenses and the full time steward was let go because the wages were more than the club could pay.

Cllr Steve Plumley from Midsomer Town Council told the finance committee, to whom the club had applied for help: " I know the state of the finances because I sit on the board, and it is diabolical. The gate receipts don't even cover the pay for the officials. Sometimes I fear that the club isn't even viable."

Welton Rovers needs the social club to cover disappointing football receipts, but even that now needs to be closed on Mondays and Sundays. An even more pressing problem is that the current boiler isn't up to the job of keeping the bar and function room nice and warm.

Midsomer Town Council listened to the story of the Club's fall from the lofty heights when it dominated the Somerset League and back in 2015 was in the Premier Division. Councillors agreed by a unanimous vote to invest £2,200 to help buy them a new boiler which means that in the bar and function room at least, will be able to pitch in for Welton.