MINDLESS acts of vandalism have left two cricket clubs in a state of disrepair, just a month before the new cricket season starts.

MINDLESS acts of vandalism have left two cricket clubs in a state of disrepair, just a month before the new cricket season starts.

Both Eaton Socon and Houghton and Wyton have been on the receiving end of criminals, intent on destroying both the property and the pitch.

Eaton Socon club chairman, Tony Reedman told The Hunts Post: “We’ve worked hard to raise over �25,000 to extend the clubhouse and improve the grounds, only for mindless idiots to come along and smash it up.”

Vandals, who have attacked the club before with graffiti and other malicious acts, smashed up paving stones underneath the digital score board and punched out panels of the brand new white picket fence surrounding the clubhouse.

“It’s so disappointing,” Tony added. “Every time this happens we put things right, and it’s just a cost and an inconvenience we don’t need.”

The club has spent years fundraising to raise enough money to install an alarm system and metal shutters on the clubhouse.

“It’s society today,” he said. “When one lot of teenagers grow up and move on another lot come and take their place.”

But he admitted that local police were doing their best to catch the vandals:“The local police have been good at monitoring the situation, and make regular patrols around the club,” he said.

Over at Houghton and Wyton cricket club, vandals have taken to using weed killer to destroy parts of the pitch, leaving it unfit to play on until the grass grows back.

“We’ve had an expert opinion on the state of the pitch which says it looks scorched, in line with pesticide application,” club chairman Greg Andrell told The Hunts Post.

“We’re sure it’s been sprayed with weed killer - it’s clearly a deliberate act of sabotage by some idiot vandal.”

Greg explained that because of the severity of the damage to the pitch, it was touch and go whether or not the club would be able to play this season.

“We need to get some water on the pitch to dilute it,” he said, “the seed may take, but it’s just as likely to take up the remaining chemical and kill it.

“If the ground has been completely destroyed, and needs new turf laying, we won’t be able to play this season.”

In an attempt to catch the person responsible for the pitch damage, a local business man has stumped a cash reward.

Greg added: “We have had a �1000 reward put up by local businessman Ian Sellens of Forest Fox trading in St Ives, for information that leads to the conviction of the person responsible for this.”

INFORMATION: If you have information on either incident call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111