A Lancashire football club – whose fans are nicknamed the ‘sewer army’ after the huge pipe which flanks its pitch – is set for a ‘step-up’ from engineers.

Barnoldswick Town FC fans are renowned for perching on top of the sewer pipe to get a good view of games.

Now United Utilities, which owns the pipe, is planning to build some stepped seating as part of a project to re-furbish it.

Project engineer Andrew Roughley said the 80 metre long, 750mm diameter concrete sewer pipe sits above ground alongside the football ground’s boundary wall, but was built in 1950s and needed maintenance.

“It’s become a bit of an unofficial terrace where spectators stand to get a good view of the action. It’s quite funny to see how much the fans have taken the pipe to their hearts. The club’s grandstand is known as the Sewer End, and fans sometimes wear tee-shirts saying the Sewer Army,” he said.

So when United Utilities decided to upgrade the pipe by lining it and encasing it in concrete, they asked their designers to shape the new concrete casing into steps to create a terraced standing area for fans.

Work on the first phase of the project – to line the pipe – will start on Monday July 29, with the concrete stepping to follow later this year once design work is complete.

Steve Goodall, treasurer of club, said some fans had mixed feelings about its informal association with the sewer but it was generally regarded with affection.

“It’s good that this work is being done and it will be absolutely fantastic when the terracing is finished,” he said.

More often referred to as Barlick Town, the Barnoldswick club plays in the North West Counties Football League.