A softball league will return to its pitch after players were banned for allegedly drinking during games.

Dean Williams, president of Softball Bermuda, said a dispute with the Department of Youth, Sport and Recreation about wine bottles found at the Michael Preece softball diamond at Pembroke’s Bernard Park has been resolved.

He added that both sides had promised to work together to ensure the sports field stayed alcohol-free.

Mr Williams said: “I’m very happy. We had a meeting which was very fruitful and amicable. “Both of us are on the same team.

“We don’t want alcohol to be used at the ballpark, so we had some discussions around the table to come up with some things we can put in place to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

Mr Williams was speaking after players were told last week they were no longer welcome at the park after two wine bottles were discovered by staff in a trash bin near a dugout.

He said: “Our players don’t believe it was them and that it could have been from the J’Ouvert but the Department said they didn’t think it was from that.

“In the end it doesn’t matter. We just want to put something in place to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Mr Williams said that warning signs would be put up at the entrance to the pitch and coaches would inspect the dugouts.

Trash cans will also be removed from the dugouts and players will be responsible for keeping the area clean.

Mr Williams said: “In our rules we have something to say you cannot use alcohol. Of course it’s one thing to put it in your rules and regulations but it’s another to police it.”

Six games were cancelled as a result of the dispute as games scheduled for Monday and Thursday were not played.

But Mr Williams said: “I’m just relieved we can go back to doing what 500 plus people love to do, which is play ball.

“I doubt very strongly that this situation will happen again.”