Watch: Work starts to upgrade Bournemouth stadium

Staff from AFC Bournemouth, along with construction workers, have gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the official start of their stadium's expansion works.

The club plans to increase the capacity of the Premier League's smallest stadium to more than 20,000 seats - up from the current number of around 11,300 - by next summer.

Jim Frevola, the club's president of business, said he hoped it would help more people in the local community get to the games.

The expansion is also expected to include new hospitality facilities and new outside broadcasting facilities for media.

The expansion works come after Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council gave the plans the green light last month.

Frevola said being part of the transformation was "an honour and a privilege".

"I pinch myself that I get to be part of days like this," he said. "It's a massive day for the town and it's a massive day for the football club."

"I can't thank everybody who's been involved enough... it's going to be an unbelievable project when it's done."

Under the plans, the south stand is expected to be demolished and rebuilt, while the north and east stands would be expanded and corners infilled to provide more than 9,000 additional seats and new hospitality facilities.

Next season, the club compete in European football for the first time in its 125-year history.

"It's all about the supporter experience from our perspective", said Frevola.

"For three and a half years I've listened to folks complain about the lines and the queuing to get into the stands - we're trying to address all of those concerns."

He said that currently the work is on track to be finished in the summer of 2027.

"I want people to come here and forget about anything that's stressing them out Monday through Friday," he said. "I want them to come here and have a party."