Football training pitch at Downham targeted by vandals

Downham Town have been the victim of vandals damaging their facilities at the SCL Memorial Field.

One of the club's training pitches was left wrecked on Friday night by track marks which had torn through the grass.

It’s not the first time the Thurlow Nunn League First Division North side has been targeted, with dugouts and sponsor boards damaged recently while takeaway boxes have also been strewn across the club's car park.

The club, who operate a number of sides from Under-7s upwards, won't be be able to use the floodlighted training area until the damage is repaired.

In a statement, a club spokesman said: "Sadly it’s been coming, as recently we’ve had people riding around the field on their mopeds, smashing up the dugouts and breaking sponsor boards.

"Frustratingly, it was only a matter of time before something else happened.

"We’ve been made aware about cars doing donuts around the car park late at night and chucking their takeaway boxes on the ground before they leave.

"Nothing was being done to stop it escalating, so it seems they’ve now taken it a step further and moved onto the grass training area.

"There is a significant amount of damage and the whole area will need levelling and seeding now, which will obviously take a while and it will affect teams from Under-7 upwards."

The ground, which is part of the Downham Sports Federation, is leased to the club by West Norfolk Council.

Downham are due to host a Autumn Ball this month to raise much-needed funds for the club.

It is feared that most of the profits from this event will now have to be used to cover the cost of the damage to the training pitch.

On Saturday, the club booked their place in the First Round of the FA Vase for the first time in 22 years after defeating higher-league Kirkley and Pakefield 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in normal time.