Whittlesey cricket club devastated after quad bike yobs destroy pitch

Volunteers at Whittlesey Cricket Club have been left heartbroken after yobs on quadbikes destroyed their pitch, just a few weeks before the season starts.

The pitch at the ground near the Manor Leisure Centre in the town was covered with deep tyre tracks after the vandals crashed through fences yesterday (Monday).

Stephen Palmer, the vice chairman of the club, said the damage was ‘soul destroying.’

Stephen, who has been a member of the club for 18 years, said: “At about 7.30pm till about 8.30pm last night, someone on a quad bike drove onto the pitch, crashed through the fences that had been put up to protect the ‘square’ and drove around on it.

"Because the ground is wet, it is very soft, and some of the tyre marks are quite deep.

"It could not have happened at a worse time.

"Everyone is so devastated by what has happened. It is soul destroying.

"It takes hours and hours to prepare a pitch like that. We are a club run by volunteers – our groundsman, Ian Jones, is a volunteer, and has done an amazing job.

"The ground was our old ground, and we only moved back last year.

"We spent a lot of money preparing the pitch and the ground. To see it like this is so disappointing.

“We want to make it a real community club – we have around 50 members, and about 20 more junior members.

"The season starts at the beginning of April, and at the moment we don’t know how long it will take to repair the pitch. A few of us have taken time off work today to fix the fence, and we will go back at the weekend to see what can be done. The ground is so soft at the moment it is difficult.

"We want to thank the Whittlesey community for letting us know about what happened.

"We were about to launch a sponsorship drive, looking for businesses to help with our CCTV.”

Anyone businesses that can help the club should email [email protected], or contact them through their social media channels.

A Cambridgeshire Police spokesperson said: “We have received a report today (20 February) of criminal damage, namely the sports ground and gate, at Whittlesey Manor Bowling Club in Station Road. The damage is thought to have been taken place the evening before. An investigation has been launched. Anyone with information is urged to contact police via the web chat service or call 101 quoting reference 35/11997/24.”