A rugby club is fuming after its £320,000 offer to buy land at the old Philips Research Laboratories was snubbed by company bosses.

It has left Horley Rugby Club, which currently uses the town's Oakwood School facilities, without a permanent base.

The club, formed in 2008, was desperate to move into land vacated by the multinational company after it relocated to Cambridge in September 2008.

But in spite of matching a guide price of £300,000 in December 2009, the company overlooked the club in favour of a speedy transaction with another buyer.

Club president and co-founder Jon Daniels said he had been left "bemused" by the decision.

Mr Daniels, 35, said: "We find it amazing that a company the size of Philips can care so little about their impact on the local communities they influence.

"We placed an offer that we were told was higher than the other interested party only to be told that Philips wanted a quick sale and had accepted the offer of a cash buyer. It is so frustrating."

The father-of-one, who lives in Hurstland Park, Horley, said he approached the Crossoak Lane company in 2008 when the rugby club had just launched.

He said: "I inquired about the ground previously used by its company social club. It's the perfect plot but we were told it was not for sale.

"Then we learned it had come on to the market, so I matched the guide price of £300,000."

Mr Daniels upped the offer to £310,000 but was told it wasn't enough. He then increased it to £320,000. On Friday, January 22, he was told the company had accepted another offer.

He said: "Where's the social responsibility? Where's the support for a community that supported Philips for so many years?

"We feel as though we have been betrayed.

"We have the support of the local community, we have the support of the council and we have the money available to complete the purchase, and yet we have been overlooked."

The club said it needs a permanent base to continue its growth and develop younger members of the club.

Mr Daniels said: "We've grown so quickly, Oakwood isn't practical. Our access is restricted and we hardly have any storage facilities.

He added: "We have e-mailed the senior management of Philips in an attempt to over-rule the decision, and we just want them to be aware of the consequences of their corporate actions to the community.

"We may be a nuisance to them but this tiny part of their property portfolio would make a huge difference to Horley."

A spokesman for Philips confirmed Horley Rugby Club had written to the company with its complaints about the land and that bosses were "examining" it.

The spokesman would not confirm whether the deal was set in stone.

He said: "As we are a publicly listed company we do not comment on ongoing discussions relating to potential property transactions."