£400,000 stadium moves rejected

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A bid to get Dumfries and Galloway council to make a Â£400,000 bid for the former home of Gretna FC has failed.

Raydale Park was put on the market by administrators following the demise of the town's SPL football team.

Annandale East councillor Archie Dryburgh tabled a proposal to make an offer for the ground to run it as a community project.

A full council meeting decided by a single vote not to make a bid for the football stadium.

It is the second time the authority has ruled out making an offer.

Gretna FC went into administration earlier this year and so far no buyer has been found for their ground.

A new team has been formed but it plays its East of Scotland league matches in nearby Annan.

Mr Dryburgh said that losing its football team had "pulled the guts" out of the community.

However, other councillors felt that a lack of clarity over ownership meant it was too uncertain a prospect to invest in.