DENBIGH Town Football Club has recently purchased a bench in memory of one its loyal club members who died last year.

The bench is being dedicated to Derek Hughes, the club's long-serving groundsman who died suddenly following a short illness last December.

It has been paid for by Denbigh Town players, friends of the club and committee members to pay tribute to Mr Hughes who the club say 'did so much' for Denbigh Town in his 25 years of service to them.

Club members say the bench is 'beautifully crafted and of a high quality teak' with the words "In memory of Derek Hughes our dear friend and groundsman" inscribed onto a plaque placed onto it.

Once they had received the bench recently, Denbigh Town invited Mr Hughes' sisters Carol and Sheila and his brother Peter to call in at Central Park to take a look at it.

Sheila said: "Can you please pass on the family's heartfelt thanks for the kind and thoughtful donation. The bench is spectacular and will always hold a special place in our hearts. We are so glad Derek will never be forgotten at the ground."

Although the football season is yet to get underway due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, there is still a bit of work going on at Central Park at the moment, meaning that the bench will find a permanent siting at Denbigh's home ground.

A club spokesperson said: "Many of us still look for Derek when we first go through the red gates at the club and he is missed every single day.

"The bench will be a long lasting tribute of the work he did for Denbigh Town FC as well as a reminder of his life and friendship."

Once the 2020/21 season eventually starts, Denbigh Town will continue to play in tier three, in the new look Ardal North West division, where they will face the likes of Mold Alexandra, Porthmadog, St Asaph City and Saltney Town. It will be a 16-team league set up as part of the FAW's new league structure for 2020/21.