THE long wait is almost over and Welshpool’s new astro pitch is near completion.

Many months of work, protracted by the ongoing pandemic and lockdown restrictions, have delayed the opening of the astro turf.

However Powys County Council has now confirmed the facility will be complete by the middle of the month.

The news is a welcome boost for sports clubs in the area with the previous astro pitch surface earning a degree of notoriety over the years for continual flooding problems.

The situation reached a head in February when the region was beset by flooding which rendered the facility unplayable.

The facility is among the most well used of its kind in the area and used by football clubs and hockey clubs.

It is hoped Welshpool Hockey Club and Llanfair Caereinion Hockey Club will now be able to return to playing their home matches at the Flash having been forced to relocated to Newtown this year.