BRIGHTLINGSEA Regent chairman Terry Doherty has issued an appeal to help his club realise a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”.

The high-flying Thurlow Nunn League side have applied for promotion but now have less than three weeks to get their ground up to scratch, to meet Ryman League criteria.

A team of volunteers are “working round the clock” to make sure the club get through the ground grading process.

But more help is needed, be it financial or just another pair of hands, before the deadline on March 31.

“We’ve had such a fantastic season and none of us thought we’d be here now,” said Doherty.

“But we are and now we really need the community to get behind us, to help us overcome the final hurdles."

For the full story, see this week's Gazette.