Farmers Harry and Jill Kerswell have become directors of Torquay United Football Club, helping rescue the club from extinction.

They have become part of a consortium of 10 benefactors, many

of them husband-and-wife couples, who have helped to stop the club closing.

Harry and Jill were at home in Bowcombe, near Kingsbridge, in early May when they received a phone call from their good friend David Phillips, who is chairman of Torquay United, offering them the chance to be part of the consortium.

Due to a business venture distinct from farming, they were in the position to take the opportunity to support the club, so that evening they went to a meeting of the other members and were impressed with their passion and enthusiasm.

After discussing it that night and then sleeping on it, they took David up on his offer the very next day.

'Jill and I used to go to watch Torquay play when we were dating in the 1960s,' said Harry. 'Jill's brother John, the son of local butchers the Rossiters, played for the club at the same time and our daughter and grandchildren Aidan and Rian go to see them play now.

'My grandson Aidan Corcoran was a mascot there around four years ago when he was seven, and through that we met the commercial manager, now the director of football, Dean Edwards.'

Many local players have gone on to play for Torquay United, with Peter Wakeham from Kingsbridge goalkeeping for the club in the late 1950s, before he moved to Sunderland FC; Kingsbridge's Mark Ellis, who is now ­playing for Shrewsbury Town as a defender; and Thurlestone's Ashley Yeoman, who has been part of

the squad for a few ­seasons.

'Because only the members of the consortium came forward to help the club,' continued Harry, 'the money is still tight, so we've had to do a lot of cost-cutting.

This means the Youth Academy is closed for the time being.'

The club is still very supportive of young players though: football in the community ­officer Paul Devlin encourages the cream of the youth players, between the ages of 16 and 18, to try out with the club, doing his bit to make up for the lack of the much larger youth academy, which catered for hundreds of young people aged between 12 and 18.

Harry and Jill have followed Torquay United for years, through relegation and promotion a few years later, and then their second relegation last year, although Harry admits that 'it may take longer to get back up this time'.

The consortium of directors is there to support the team from the sidelines, allowing the people who know what they are doing to run the club, including new manager Paul Cox, who Harry describes as 'passionate about doing well'. Harry said the fans have been very supportive.

At a fans' forum at the club restaurant recently, the new directors received a standing ovation for their part in keeping the club alive, as well as lots of expressions of gratitude and handshakes, which made Harry and Jill feel very proud.

'We want to encourage local people to go and support their local team and see matches,' continued Harry. 'The family stand is recommended for anyone who wants to take their kids to their first football experience. You're very close to the action and the atmosphere is amazing.'

For more information about Torquay United, visit the

club's ­website at www. torquayunited.com.

l See News of the Weird, back page