Vandals deal fresh blow to sports club

2:35pm Thursday 8th May 2008

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By Charlie Crabtree »

A WYRE Forest sports club beginning to bounce back after a devastating arson attack destroyed its clubhouse has been repeatedly targeted by vandals.

Kidderminster and Stourport Athletic club had been on the road to recovery with a Shuttle/Times & News appeal so far raising more than £20,000 to vital replace sporting equipment destroyed in the fire at Stourport Sports Club last year.

In the last three weeks, the club has been increasingly targeted by vandals and in the latest setback the throwing cage nets were cut down, cut up and part of the cage set alight.

Sue Saunders, athletics club secretary, said: "We feel absolutely sick at this latest incident. We just don't understand why someone would want to keep damaging equipment that is used for the good of the community. It feels like someone has a vendetta against us but why?"

She added the club might not be able to host the Worcestershire County Track and Field Championships on Saturday while it also put into doubt a league match scheduled for June.

"We are going to try and put the net up on Friday but, as we need at least four people, high ladders and about two and a half hours to do it, we are battling against time," she explained.

She added: "If we do put it up, is it going to be down again on Saturday morning? It really is a disgraceful act."

Dave Berrington, the club's media officer, said vandals had already caused "irreparable" damage to the pole vault apparatus.

He added: "It's just wanton vandalism. What concerns me is that this time they didn't just pull down the nets but burnt them as well. Things are definitely getting worse."