Bury FC fans have bought the club and Gigg Lane "out of administration", it has been reported.

The club, which has not played a game at Gigg Lane since May 2019 after being expelled from the Football League, expressed it delight on social media this afternoon, Sunday.

On Twitter, the club said: "It is with great joy that we can say the fans have bought Bury FC and Gigg Lane out of administration and we’re working on the comeback story of a lifetime.

"It feels great to be with you again."

In a statement on its website, a Bury FC Supporters' Society spokesman said: "After Bury Football Club Supporters’ Society successfully rallied together to buy Gigg Lane, and the intellectual property, history and memorabilia of Bury Football Club out of administration, The Shakers are finally coming back after their tragic expulsion from the English Football League in 2019.

"With the help of generous benefactors, the club is now in safe hands.

"Using the successful German model of 51:49 ownership, we (the Supporters’ Society) make up the 51 per cent majority while the benefactors, Bury fans themselves, are the 49 per cent

"The club and stadium can never fall out of our hands again and we are now working hard to bring elite men’s football back to the town through negotiations with the FA.

"It is our aim that we come back bigger and stronger than ever so we have drawn up plans to make Gigg Lane a community hub for the town seven days a week.

"Gigg Lane has already been used as a storage facility for donations to the Ukraine crisis, but we are now beginning works on a community gymnasium.

"Further intended works include office, clinic and well-being space as well as an artificial playing surface for football to become at the heart of the community all week.

"Through hard work and an amazing army of volunteers we have restored Gigg Lane so that Bury FC Foundation Women can end their promotion chasing season in front of the fans at Gigg Lane.

"However we don’t want to just restore it but redevelop it to become more than it was before.

"We have been very fortunate to have received very generous donations from the local and footballing community to help us bring this vision to life."

People are being urged to get involved in helping the club if they can too.

The spokesman added: "If you feel able to contribute to restoring and redeveloping Gigg Lane then we would be immensely grateful, however big or small.

"There are also opportunities to join us and become a member of the majority fan ownership.

"This way you can watch and take an active role helping the cause in bringing hope back to the town and local football community.

"This is the beginning of a very exciting return for the Shakers and we can’t wait to show you the progress over the coming year.

"Follow ‘Bury Football Club’ and ‘Bury Football Club Supporters’ Society’ on all social media and look out for us as we continue to bring positive headlines to the footballing world."