A FIFE bowling club threatened with closure at the start of the year is getting ready for a relaunch after winning the support of the community.

Residents of Crossgates, near Dunfermline, rallied round after it looked like the 60-year-old club would fold when its clubhouse lease ran out.

Following an appeal from the community council new members came forward, securing the clubhouse for the next 25 years.

Dunfermline and West Fife MP Willie Rennie has been invited to the official relaunch on April 12.

Secretary Graham Murray believes the club is on the verge of a renaissance, and appealed for younger members of the community to join.

“Five years ago we had 25 junior members, but they either went to other clubs or lost interest,” he said, adding, “We’re very keen to get younger people involved, and hopefully they will get involved with the organisational side of things later.”

He continued, “Thankfully we managed to persuade some of the previous members to stay on because most of the people who have come in are rookies and we need to learn from their experience.”

As well as the launch in April, the club is organising other social events, including a barbecue and a St Andrew’s night quiz.