Anger as blaze wrecks Swaffham sports facility

Community leaders are fearing a significant repair bill after part of a town sports facility was wrecked by a fire.

Town council officials believe a concrete table tennis table at the Swaffham Recreation Ground may have been used for a barbecue last Friday night.

And they have appealed for anyone who may know who was behind what happened to come forward.

Town clerk Richard Bishop said: “We thought it was quite a rigid outdoor structure, but whatever they’ve done, it’s burnt a big hole in it.

“We’ve reported it to our insurers and we’re in the process of getting an estimate for the repairs, but it will be quite substantial.”

The area is not currently covered by closed circuit television cameras and Mr Bishop said it was possible that councillors would look again at the issue in the light of the incident.

But he said previous proposals to put cameras in were estimated to cost at least £20,000, because of the need to install adequate power supplies to the area that would enable the cameras to provide images good enough to use in any potential prosecution.

He acknowledged that some residents would consider it a price worth paying.

But he added: “That’s about a third of the cost of the MUGA. Is it really proportionate for the volume of problems that we’re experiencing?”

“The rec is one of four places around the town of this type. It’s probably the most used of the four, but if you put that there, are you going to have to roll it out to the other areas?