The Prince of Wales has stepped in to help a struggling Cornish football team gain proper access to their ground down a pothole-ridden lane. Mousehole AFC, located near Land's End in the tiny village of Paul, were facing traffic congestion and damaged vehicles that created logistical nightmares for visiting teams and supporters.
Football fan William, who is also patron of the FA, took action after reading in The Guardian last year about the club's remarkable rise through the English leagues despite its practical problems. He helped bring together a coalition of people to solve the access crisis, with construction work due to begin this week on a new road.
Prince pledges club visit
William, an Aston Villa devotee, pledged to visit the Cornish club soon and praised community football hubs as essential spaces. "I have seen time and time again that community hubs are essential in providing the spaces for people to come together, to build stronger communities and to allow people to thrive," he said.
"It is a privilege to be able to help the local community access Mousehole AFC. I'd like to personally add my thanks for all the hard work that's gone into making it happen," the prince added. He said he looked forward to seeing the new road for himself as soon as possible.
Coalition tackles access crisis
The heir to the throne's private secretary Ian Patrick revealed the prince's direct intervention at Monday's annual Duchy of Cornwall financial briefing. "These people weren't being heard. You know they needed an access road, and there was no one championing their cause, and the prince very, very directly decided to champion their cause," Patrick said.
He explained that the narrow, pothole-ridden access road was causing serious problems for both the club and the local community. The prince wanted to see what could be done and helped bring together various parties to find a solution.
Construction begins this week
Patrick said the new road would solve the transport issue and allow the club to expand whilst supporting sports, social and cultural events in the wider community. The football club is not on Duchy of Cornwall land but sits in a remote Cornish community that the prince, as Duke of Cornwall, wanted to personally support.
The prince and his Duchy of Cornwall estate worked with CRH, a building materials group, to develop a lasting solution. The construction, which also includes new parking facilities, is taking place at no cost to the club after contributions from businesses and local landowner Paul Pond, who granted access to part of his land.
Season deadline approaches
The new road is expected to be completed in time for the start of Mousehole AFC's 2025/26 season in the Pitching In Southern League Division One South in August. The Guardian reported last year that the club had been attracting talented young players from London and other big cities despite being located down the bumpy, potholed track.
Mousehole, pronounced "mowzel", is home to about 500 people but its team plays against towns with populations 50 times that size. The club's remarkable progress up the English football pyramid has captured attention despite the practical challenges of reaching their remote ground.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
