Anyone who has visited the County Ground over the last few days will have noticed a digger busily shifting a pile of rubble on the Coal Orchard side of the ground.

This waste material has been created by the construction of a new entrance by the side of the Riverside Stand that is the final phase of the ground improvement scheme that was started last year by Somerset County Cricket Club.

The creation of this new entrance turnstile means that spectators who park in the Coal Orchard and Priory Bridge Car Parks will be able to enter the ground without having to cross a busy main road.

Speaking at the County Ground this morning chief executive Peter Anderson told me: "The club has invested £457,000 in these ground improvements, for which we have received £189,000 in grants from the Safety at Sports Grounds Fund. We now have attractive boundary walls and entrances and safe surfaces for people to walk on around the ground."

He continued: "With the introduction of these new turnstiles I can tell at anyone time exactly how many people are inside the ground which is important from a safety angle."

Next season will also see the introduction of the new style membership card which will be in the form of a swipe card with the members name and photograph on it.

Before the new style cards can be issued all members need to submit a passport sized photograph of themselves with their name written clearly on the reverse side to the club.

Alternatively members can also call into the County Ground where their photograph will be taken, no appointment is necessary and the process is quite painless!

Membership secretary Jo Arnold told me: "Up until now only about one quarter of the members have either sent their photograph into the office or have called in to let us take it for them. In order that we can process the new memberships it is important that we have a photograph of every member as soon as possible."

© SOMERSET