Our kids’ football match was ruined after mindless vandals tore up our pitch by doing doughnuts on the grass
“Our young players will be really disappointed if the matches are called off, they can’t wait for the weekend matches.”
An angry junior football club chairman has hit out after motorised vandals ruined a football pitch and put this weekend’s fixtures at risk.
Football-mad youngsters at Bispham Junior Football Federation (BJFF) were due to play matches on one of the pitches on Bispham Gala Field on both Saturday and Sunday.
But on Wednesday night a car was driven onto the pitch and was seen being driven around in circles while an occupant shone a torch, tearing up the surface of the grass and making it unplayable.
It is believed that the damage was caused by youths out for kicks in the evening and it is understood Lancashire Police are investigating the incident.
It left BJFF frantically trying to rearrange the various matches with the other clubs and Blackpool and District Youth Football League officials, so the games could be played elsewhere – and not get cancelled.
They know how much the young footballers look forward to the matches and didn’t want to disappoint them.
Happily the matches were saved – but the incident has frustrated and angered parents and club officials.
What chairman says
Club chairman Lisa Hannigan said: “We don’t know if they intentionally set out to damage the pitch but it looks that way.
“It makes me angry to think someone could be so selfish and not consider the implications of their actions.
“They potentially deprived young sports people the chance to play the game they love. It caused major disruption because the games have had to be played elsewhere.
“There is no way the damaged pitch can be played on in that state.”
The other pitches on the Blackpool Council-owned Gala Field in Bispham are being used by the busy club’s other teams, so there is no spare pitch for the weekend fixtures.
There was anger and frustration on local social media sites about the latest incident, which follows similar damage to a neighbouring pitch on the gala just a few weeks ago, and also at Moor Park.
Now BJFF is liaising with land owners Blackpool Council to see if security measures can be bolstered to prevent this kind of activity in future.
Lisa added: “We can’t modify the land around these pitches because it isn’t ours, it belongs to Blackpool Council.
“We have approached the council and we’d like some kind of protective measures, possibly fencing or boulders, to make it more difficult to get vehicles on the pitches.”
Cllr Jane Hugo, deputy leader of Blackpool Council and Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Parks and Green Spaces, said: “Residents are understandably concerned about people using vehicles on Bispham Gala Field, damaging the fields where hundreds of children play sports every week.
“We are working with Blackpool Police to identify those involved.”