WORK has started on the much-vaunted project to replace Barrow AFC's floodlights.

Contractors arrived at Holker Street today – having been delayed on the commencement of work by their previous project – and immediately began the first stages of the erection of new lights.

Foundation and groundwork will take place at the ground over the next few weeks, with the erection of the lights themselves waiting until after final planning permission is granted by Barrow Borough Council.

The council's planning committee are due to meet next month to discuss the proposals – with the lights able to be lifted into place in quick fashion as soon as the go-ahead is received.

AFC chief executive Austin Straker is pleased work – including the knocking down of walls to allow foundations to be laid – has started, and said: “It's good stuff. They are a fantastic company to work with. They have been very supportive.

“With an old ground, there will always be hiccups along the way, a few hitches, but they just find ways round them. It's exciting times.”

He added: “Unless you actually come within the ground, you won't see anything for a little while, because it's the foundations, the trenching, the cabling that is being done. All the electrical stuff, the remedial work of shifting walls and various things.

“There will be a lot of stuff that people aren't really interested in, because they are only bothered about seeing them up there.

“It's only really at the death, when we get the permission to put the lights up – which will be a couple of weeks yet, assuming nothing goes wrong – that you will see a difference from outside.

“After that, it will be the old ones coming down – once we are 100 per cent certain these ones work!”

Before the 30-metre pylons are erected, the concrete foundations will be laid and allowed to set, with the lights on a hinge that allows them to be quickly put up and – if necessary – brought down again for repairs.

As well as working on the floodlights, the majority of the scaffolding has now come down from the Brian Arrowsmith Stand after the completion of shot-blasting, and the re-seeded pitch is continuing to grow well.