Mindless drivers are threatening the future of a long established Sunday league football club after racing over the club’s pitches leaving huge circular dirt tracks.
Baschurch Juniors, who run teams in seven different age groups, turned up to their pitches on Saturday morning to find that cars had driven up a grass mound to bypass the locked gates and left the pitches almost unplayable.
And when other club members returned to play matches a day later, the pitches had been ravaged again with ruts left in the ground and mud tracks on the pitch surface.
With at least five matches taking place each weekend at the pitches on Eyton Lane, there are now fears that if the attacks keep taking place, players will get badly injured and matches will be called off – which could land the club in hot water with the league.
Treasurer Steve Minshall, who has been at the club for five years, said: “It just leaves you so angry because one or two idiots are now ruining it for around 150 others and it’s also becoming dangerous to play on.
“It must have taken at least 20 minutes or more for them to repeatedly drive across all five pitches and they’ve left it looking an absolute mess.
“We’ve been using brand new changing facilities this season in the village hall so it’s dismaying to have teams from all over the county turning up and thinking how poor our pitch is. If it gets any worse we could have to start postponing games.
“We are urging anyone, including residents that live nearby, to contact the club or the police if they see anything as we’re sure they will be as equally appalled as us,” added Steve.
Maria Hawkaluk, West Mercia police spokesperson, said: “This is an ongoing investigation into a series of incidents of anti-social behaviour and we have issued a witness appeal for anyone who has seen anything to call us on 0300 333 3000 or crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
By David Seadon
