RESIDENTS have complained that a “noisy” village cricket club wants to serve alcohol until 4am.

Shepley Cricket Club has asked Kirklees Council to extend its licence from midnight until 4am.

But residents living nearby have asked Kirklees to refuse permission, saying the club’s events are already disruptive.

Doreen Littlewood of Marsh Lane has written to the council’s Licensing Panel. She said: “This is a residential area and we find it difficult enough to cope with the noise of loud music, car doors slamming and engines revving when their functions finish at midnight and it would be totally unacceptable for this to go on until 4am.

“Just about everyone in Marsh Lane has had enough of the noise and disruption. When we bought our houses the club was used for playing cricket and nothing else. We chose to live here as it was quiet and peaceful. We would like it to go back to that.”

Harold and Philip Addy, who live on Marsh Farm on Marsh Lane, also wrote to the Licensing Panel saying the club already caused them problems.

They said: “We already get bottles, cans and glasses thrown into our fields which can cause injury to the animals. We are concerned that even later drinking will lead to more disturbance. We have also had stone walls knocked over in the past and people taking short cuts across our fields and we are worried that we could get more of this behaviour and that gates could even be opened to let the animals out.”

Twelve residents have written to Kirklees to oppose the plan, while one has voiced his support.

But club secretary Ian Watkinson said residents opposed to the proposal had misunderstood the situation.

He said: “Some people have got the wrong end of the stick and then gone round talking to the neighbours.

“The club isn’t going to be open any more hours at all. We’re simply making this application to cover the longer hours needed for the Shepley Spring Festival – you have to apply for those hours throughout the year.”

Mr Watkinson said the club would not be open more often if the licence extension is granted. He said: “We’re just carrying on as before, we’ll be open on matchdays, monthly social evenings and the occasional functions such as christenings.”

Mr Watkinson added that the club was not causing disruption.

He said: “We’re 183 metres from the nearest house – that’s the length of two football pitches.”

The council’s Licensing Panel will decide on the extension request at a meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall on Monday.