PARENTS whose children play for a popular youth football club have called for urgent investment in the dilapidated facilities they use for training and matches.

More than 150 youngsters currently use Seymour Road and Marsh Lane playing fields in Leyton each week as members of Leyton United Football Youth Academy.

But coaches and parents say the site is in a poor condition, with bumpy pitches, run-down graffiti-strewn changing rooms and rusting goal posts.

They have called on Waltham Forest Council - which manages the facility - to make much needed improvements, including installing new floodlights, so that the children can train in safety in the evenings.

The Guardian visited the playing fields today (Saturday) to speak to parents.

Mum-of-four Hournus Hasip, 42, of Church Road, Leyton, has two sons involved in the club - Tumay 10 and Tubay 9.

She said: "You just have to look around to see the state it's in.

"This club does so much good work to keep youngsters active and occupied. You'd have thought the council would do more to support this.

"New floodlights would allow the children to train over here during the winter. It would make the park much safer for them to use.

"A new mini-bus to help transport them to matches would be brilliant too."

These views were shared by mum-of-seven Lorraine Richards, 41, of Walnut Road, Leyton - whose sons Alphie, 9 and Keanu, 12, are also members of the club.

She said: "The club gives the youth something positive to do.

"If the facilities down here were better it would attract even more boys to come and take part.

"There's not enough facilities for the youth around here as it is.

"This club is doing great things for the community so the council should do its bit to help."

The club's coach Jerry Omango has contacted the council and said he has been informed it is trying to secure funding from central Government, but has been unsuccessful to date.

The Marsh Lane fields missed out on a £400,000 grant from Boris Johnson's investment fund in London parks, because it did not get enough votes from the public.

The Guardian is awaiting a response from the council.

Last Sunday morning, 37-year-old Errol McKenzie, from Leyton, was found dead in the fields after being shot in the chest.

No one has been arrested.