Sports clubs booted off Staffordshire's Shugborough Estate after decades by National Trust

Teams have said they are 'gutted' at being told they have just six months to find somewhere else to play.

The Trust has said because the space is not a 'public amenity' it could order clubs to leave without the need for a consultation. While they have also cast doubt over whether charity events will be held at the venue.

Chris Silverstone, who co-runs Great Haywood FC that have played at Shugborough for more than 30 years, said: "I told my lads last Sunday and to be honest they were gutted.

"There is absolutely nowhere else in the village that has a full size pitch.

"It will mean we will have to move out of Great Haywood to somewhere miles away.

"I believe around 40 per cent of the team will probably leave because of this as they don't drive. It is going to makes things very difficult but at the moment we are still trying to work with everybody and find a solution."

The move is also set to effect two other football teams as well as cricket clubs in the area.

A petition opposing it gathered more than 700 names and has since been handed to Stafford MP Jeremy Lefroy.

It was announced earlier this year that Staffordshire County Council, which has been running Shugborough for the last 49 years, would be handing management back over to the National Trust which owns the heritage site.

Andy Beer, trust director for the Midlands, said: "As the facilities at Shugborough are not owned by the local authority, they are not public amenities, so there was no requirement for the National Trust to consult over their closure. We have given clubs six months' notice that their arrangements with the council will not continue with the Trust, to allow them time to find alternative venues.

"Once the County Council's lease is surrendered at the end of October, the management and upkeep of the Shugborough estate will be purely funded by the National Trust with the aim of conserving the Grade I historic landscape. Longer term, the Trust will work with Sport England, as we do at other properties we look after, to provide a range of sporting activities for visitors that have minimal impact on the historic parkland and complement our conservation aims. This will not include community football or cricket pitches.

The county council has already confirmed the lucrative Ironman 70.3 events will still be held at Shurgborough for the next two years despite the handover, although the trust could not provide the same guarantee for charity events.

Mr Beer added: "As a charity ourselves, the National Trust understands the importance of fundraising for worthwhile local causes.

"With conservation as our core principle, we have to take care to balance conservation with access, but any requests for the use of the park for charitable events would be considered on their own merit."