AFC Totton have secured a massive grant of £362,584 for state-of-the-art football facilities at their Testwood Park ground.

Having had their original application rejected in April this year, the never-say-die Sydenhams Wessex League club have been awarded the cash on appeal to the UK's largest sports charity, the Football Foundation.

A big chunk of the grant will fund a new floodlit all-weather pitch to replace the existing training area at the bottom end of the ground, which is no longer fit for use.

The other chunk will go towards a new pavilion, housing changing rooms for players and match officials.

Using the latest artificial turf technology, the all-weather surface will provide a much-needed training facility for the players, taking the weight off Totton's overworked main pitch which has been feeling the wear and tear.

As well as hosting county selection trials, representative games and schools' finals, Totton's ground is home to the Portsmouth FC Ladies reserve side along with the Totton & District disabled activity group, who use the facility two days a week.

Totton hope that the new all-weather pitch will be a boost for the whole community. There are plans for nine local primary and two special schools to reap the benefits - plus the students of Totton College, who use the ground on Wednesdays for their sports academic qualifications.

Totton chairman John Dawson, a former county, district and town councillor and five-times town chairman, said the Football Foundation boost had given more satisfaction than anything during his 18-year stint in local politics.

He said: "This is very good, not only for AFC Totton and its hardworking committee, but for local football and the town.

"Having been heavily involved in all the major sporting, recreational and heritage developments in the town for the past 18 years - from the Heritage Centre to Hanger Farm Arts, through rugby, bowls, the recreation centre and skate park, etc - this award tops the lot.

"However, the real challenge now is to muster the human resources to make it an outstanding success."

The Football Foundation, funded by the FA Premier League, The Football Association, Sport England and the government, has already invested £79 million into the heart of football.

Peter Lee, chief executive for the Foundation, hailed Totton's cash injection as fantastic news for grass roots football in Hampshire. He said: "This superb new pitch will soon be providing a host of opportunities for young players throughout the area. Our congratulations go to the club for securing this huge funding package."

Totton will get work started on the artificial pitch as soon as possible, but with the season in full flow, they are unlikely to start work on the changing rooms until next April at the earliest.