FAREHAM are getting ready to paint the Town red after becoming one of the beneficiaries of Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower fiasco.

Vast quantities of red paint were left sitting around unused as a result of the huge public backlash stirred up by plans to paint Pompey's famous landmark in the colours of arch rivals Saints.

It followed the decision to sell the naming rights of the tower to airline giants Emirates who include red in their company colours.

But such was the anger in Portsmouth - and the howls of laughter at the other end of the M27 – that the red and white colour scheme was scrapped and replaced by a blue, white and gold design.

It left Portsmouth City Council with 115 litres of red paint sitting around unused which they decided to give away free to local community groups in need of a splash of colour.

Fareham Town – also known as The Reds – successfully applied and have been given 20 litres of paint which will help spruce up the changing rooms, toilet block and entrance to their Cams Alders ground ahead of the new Sydenhams Premier Division season.

Thanking both Portsmouth City Council and Emirates, Fareham Town secretary Paul Proctor said: “The paint will come in extremely useful towards refurbishing our changing rooms and toilet block.

“The cost of re-doing these are part of the general hidden costs in the running of a grass-roots football club which mount up every season.

“That money can then be put towards other equipment to help with the smooth running of the club elsewhere.

“As a club with sides from aged seven up to a senior side under our tutelage, we are delighted to be the beneficiary of the generosity of both Portsmouth City Council and Emirates and thank them both.”