Pitch vandals 'not going to stop' cricket club
Hebden Bridge Cricket ClubA West Yorkshire cricket club targeted by vandals says the incident will "not stop us", despite thousands of pounds worth of damage.
A fire was lit on the pitch at Hebden Bridge Cricket Club between Saturday night and Sunday morning using stolen petrol, with lawn mowers, strimmers and a generator also taken or left damaged.
The club reported the incident to West Yorkshire Police, with an online fundraiser set up in the wake of the damage raising about £500 in a couple of days.
Dylan Comyn, from the club, said the timing was "not great" having only played five or six games so far this season - however they had received an "amazing instant reaction" from the local community and beyond.
The club, which has about 20 regular players and a group of ground volunteers, was established more than 100 years ago at Salem Fields.
Historically the side played in local leagues, with the club currently playing friendly fixtures with Yorkshire and Lancashire-based teams.
Most of its income is generated through players' match fees and donations, the club said, with the side not receiving funding from the England and Wales Cricket Board due to its size.
The vandalism meant club finances would need to be spent on repairs rather than upgrades, it added.
Comyn said the club was targeted in a similar incident about seven years ago.
"We're extremely fortunate about where our pitch is positioned as it's an idyllic spot within the valley," he said.
"But with that comes not much CCTV, so security-wise it's not the most secure spot.
"We do get people who come and vandalise our storage units and kids are often found on the roof of the building."
Hebden Bridge Cricket ClubComyn described the incident as "disappointing", however the community response had been "brilliant".
"I think events like this bring us all together and show how tightly knit we are," he added.
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