Plans are moving forward to bring professional football back to Bury after an agreement has been reached.

The Bury FC Supporters Society (BFCSS), which announced earlier this month it owns 51 per cent of the club, has signed a Memorium of Understanding (MoU) along with other parties.

The MoU is a written agreement between a number of groups with connections to the club and sets out framework for the future of the club.

Signatories include the council, The Football Supporters’ Association, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Shakers Community Society Limited on behalf of Bury AFC, Bury Football Club Supporters’ Society Limited, Bury FC Benefactors Limited and The Bury Football Club Company Limited.

Confirming the news on its website, a Bury FCSS spokesperson said: “The work of the groups behind the project to bring professional football back to Gigg Lane has taken a significant step with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

“The Memorandum of Understanding will provide the framework for the parties to continue working towards a common cause and formulating the proposals to be voted on by the members of the two supporter organisations when the time is right.

"A considerable amount of work has been underway for some time.

"The MoU is a non-binding written document that sets out an agreed way forward, defines the purpose of the project and sets some milestones”.

The MoU sets out the club’s objectives, which include bringing professional football back to Bury, uniting and growing the fan base all forms of revenue to its maximum potential.

The document also sets out a pledge to "balance the competing needs of a successful football club, commerciality, and offering true benefit to a diverse local community" and "to safeguard the principles of transparency and financial sustainability for the long term".

In signing the document, all parties agree "to work and communicate with each other in a spirit of openness, honesty and transparency".

The news comes after Bury FC women played their first game at the newly renovated Gigg Lane stadium last month, following a significant clean-up effort by fans.

In April, Bury FCSS asked fans to donate towards further renovation efforts at the stadium, including the construction extra facilities such as a community gym and function spaces.