A sailing club has confirmed it has fallen into administration weeks after revealing it was unable to pay its "untenable" rent demands.

Bewl Valley Sailing Club has advised its members to remove their equipment from their base at Bewl Water as soon as possible.

It has appointed White Maund as administrators and is no longer giving people access to its clubhouse and cannot sanction any activity on the lake.

The historic club, which had been running for 48 years, revealed last month it could not afford its £160,000 a year payments and was technically insolvent.

It said an appeal for a rent-free period had been rejected by its landlord Bewl Water Boating Limited, which is controlled by West Ham co-owner David Sullivan, who also owns the company with the head lease of Bewl Water.

Vice Commodore Trevor Spink said: "I hope a new club will form to work with the landlord and in time returns to and even surpasses the standards delivered by BVSC.

"I hope to be working with other former members to make this happen, but I will take a back seat while others with more time and focus can lead the charge."