A CRICKET club whose ground disappeared under water in last July's floods is rising from the waves for the coming summer.

More than £100,000 is now in the kitty for Charlbury Cricket Club's appeal fund to replace the old pavilion.

A large slice of that has come from an insurance payment on the pavilion, which was immersed up to the roof in flood water from the River Evenlode, which runs next to the ground.

The low-lying site is also impractical for a replacement building - just over a week ago the river again burst its banks and water reached the pavilion.

Plans for a new building in an adjoining field on higher ground have now been approved by West Oxfordshire District Council and the club hopes to have a basic pavilion available this summer.

Malcolm Harper, chairman of the fundraising appeal, said: "The shell will be in place for teams to change, but it does not look like we will have a bar ready.

"We have come a long way since the floods, but it takes time to get everything sorted out."

The appeal, set up almost immediately after the July floods, now stands at £103,000, from donations and fundraising events.

A programme of further events is being organised, including the possibility of BBC cricket commentator Henry Blofeld as a guest speaker and a visit by Henry Olonga, the former Zimbabwean fast bowler who is now pursuing a career as a singer.

A series of car boot sales at the club has also been arranged for the first Sunday of each month from May to September.

The total cost of the new pavilion is estimated at about £250,000. That includes expensive work to provide a higher-grade electricity connection, although the club is also looking into renewable energy sources.

Mr Harper added that a local firm has anonymously pledged £43,000, which could be matched by a grant from the Sports Council. The club is also applying for charitable status to secure a £50,000 interest-free loan from the England and Wales Cricket Board.

The appeal is still open and anyone who would like to help should call Mr Harper on 01608 810464.

Despite the damage from the floods, the club managed to fulfil most of its fixtures last summer and is again running three teams in the Oxfordshire Cricket Association leagues, as well as a full friendly and youth programme on its two playing surfaces.