Saltney,North Wales - Anger as vandals target Saltney Town Football Club's dugout

Published date: 15 November 2016 | 

Published by: Sam Torr
Read more articles by Sam Torr

A FOOTBALL club dugout on a school playing field has been vandalised.

It is not the first time the dugout, which belongs to Saltney Town FC and is located on Sandy Lane in Saltney, has been targeted by vandals.

In the latest attack, the dugout was knocked on its side and some of the panels were smashed.

The damage was discovered by a dog walker and is believed to have occurred between November 5 after 5pm and before November 7 at 7am.

Saltney Stonebridge Ward councillor Veronica Gay described the vandalism as “totally unacceptable” and said it was something was done to improve security at the school playing fields.

“We have recently had a security check done by North Wales Police to see what needs to be done to improve security at the site, but what I’m very disappointed about is that there was a similar report in 2010, and no attempt has been made to improve security.

“The football club simply can’t afford to deal with this damage, they are a voluntary group and can’t afford to deal with idiots without brains who get a kick out of destroying things. I really don’t know what it is that makes them do these things.”

• Follow and like the Leader Live Facebook page by clicking here

Cllr Gay hopes to have a meeting with Flintshire Council and has already spoken with deputy leader Bernie Attridge to see what can be done.

She said: “When is FCC going to step up and take action to protect and secure the school playing fields? They have had a report with recommendations on how to improve security in 2010 and a recent one highlighting that no action has been taken since then – it’s totally unacceptable.”

The football club is not the only place in Saltney to be targeted by vandals.

In October, the community centre was also subject to arson as well as the play area on Park Avenue which was also set alight.

“The community need to pull together and deal with this – it’s a school playing field at the end of the day.

“We want to share it with the public but when you get vandalism like this it makes it very difficult.

“Have these vandals got a vendetta against the club? The club does so many things voluntarily in the community and are all doing things in their own time, so it’s not fair they should have to deal with this mindless vandalism,” Cllr Gay added.

http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/169100/anger-as-vandals-target-saltney-town-football-club-s-dugout.aspx