A football club is being forced to leave the village it has called home for more than 100 years after plans to improve their grounds were rejected by councillors - leaving them facing relegation.

Penn and Tylers Green Football Club applied to install six retractable lights, extending from 2.8 metres to 15 metres, at the pitch in Elm Road following strict instructions from the Football Association (FA) - but the plans were turned down by Chiltern District Council's planning committee on February 22. 

Penn have managed to win the title in the Hellenic League Division One East for the past two seasons, and are currently third in the table.

However, they have been halted from promotion due to the fact that they have sub-standard floodlighting. 

Following the refusal, Penn and Tylers Green FC have now agreed a ground share agreement with Amersham Town FC for the 2018/19 season which will maintain their step 6 status in the Hellenic League.

A statement from the club, which has been in Penn for 113 years, said although they have "invested heavily" in their grounds, including spending more than £200,000 installing a new pitch, stand and perimeter fencing, their lack of floodlights could have proved to be a "crushing blow" to club's future. 

Chairman, Tony Hurst, said “We are delighted with the deal we have arranged with our local neighbours Amersham Town and would like to thank them for their support in arranging everything in a very short period of time.

"By signing this deal we have secured our immediate future at this level whilst we continue our appeal against the recent planning application refusal."

The chairman continued that he was "bitterly disappointed" with the lack of support from key organisations in the town, adding: "They have forced us to move away from our home of 100 years, added thousands of pounds of additional cost into our budget and threatened the future of a recreational facility at the very heart of our community.”

The application recieved 176 letters of support, but members of the planning committee feared the lights would impose on the village, which does not have street lighting, and nearby heritage sites.