A DAMAGED wind turbine halted a football game at the weekend.

The County League game between Aspatria and Cockermouth was called off because of fears for the players’ safety.

The two sets of players were getting ready for kick off when two covers from the wind turbine at the ground were blown across the pitch.

The game had been moved to Netherhall Community Sports Centre all-weather pitch in Maryport, because the teams’ own pitches were waterlogged.

Referee Graham Young said: “I can tell you it was a real scary moment. We were almost ready to start the County League senior fixture when these two covers suddenly landed on the pitch and were blown along by the wind.

“I couldn’t risk anything else coming off during the game so I abandoned it. The floodlights looked a bit loose as well so it was a no-brainer, really.

“I shudder to think what might have happened if the covers had come loose a few minutes earlier when an U16 team was playing.”

Sports centre manager Brian Thompson said the wind turbine itself was intact and it was just the plastic covering that had come loose in the high winds of the weekend.

He said it was flexible plastic and would not normally have been dangerous, however, he said a piece of cardboard could have caused damage in high winds if it flew at people at a certain angle.

Mr Thompson said the turbine, which had now been repaired, had not been seriously damaged by the wind.