One of the UK’s most historic cricket clubs has been handed a lifeline as it battles to secure its future.

White Coppice Cricket Club, near Chorley, was founded in 1875 and launched a campaign to raise £150,000 in its 150th anniversary.

The club was hit for six earlier this year after being quoted £29,000 to repair a leaking septic tank and faced a race against time to be ready for the start of the new season in April.

Now local businessman – Tim Knowles, managing director of FI Real Estate Management (FIREM) – has stepped in to install a replacement septic tank at no cost to the club.

The entrepreneur even refused to accept an offer of £6,000 from the club towards the cost of fixing the septic tank – saying he wanted the money to go to their fundraising campaign.

Knowles said: “FI Real Estate Management is headquartered in Chorley and I couldn’t stand by and do nothing to save White Coppice Cricket Club.

“As a kid I once pitched a tent on the outfield and have had an attachment to the club ever since.

“One of our employees plays for the club and when I saw all the media coverage, I knew I had to help.”

The company removed the previous leaking septic tank and replaced it with a brand new one, before carrying out landscaping work.

The project took four days to complete and would have cost in the region of £20,000.

Mr Knowles said he was touched that the club had offered to make a contribution of £6,000 towards the cost of the work but he couldn’t accept it.

“It was a lovely gesture by White Coppice but £6,000 is a lot of money for the cricket club and I want all the money to go to the club’s fundraising campaign, ” he said.

Knowles joined players at the ground on Saturday to see the work for himself.

The club’s 1st XI captain Jake Smalley said: “When Tim offered to replace the septic tank it felt like all our prayers had been answered.

“Fixing the septic tank was the priority because we couldn’t reopen the clubhouse for the new season until the work had been done.

“All the money we raise now will go towards paying for training facilities and ground improvements.”

Club chairman Paul Dobson said: “When we were quoted £29,000 to fix the septic tank we only had around £10,000 in our bank account so we can’t begin to thank Tim and FI Real Estate Management enough.

“The new season doesn’t start for another month but it feels like we’ve already won our biggest match.”

A GoFundMe campaign by the club currently stands at £5,029 while United Utilities have donated another £5,000.

The club, which has two Saturday teams in the Palace Shield League, wants to introduce a junior division.