Cricket club chairman says ‘It rips your heart out’ after vandal attack

VOLUNTEERS at a sporting club were left heartbroken after vandals savaged equipment used by hundreds of adults and children.

Nuneaton Cricket Club in Weddington Road boasts fantastic nets that were built off the back of securing nearly £80,000 of funding as well as generating £5,000 through the club’s own efforts.

Between Sunday, May 1 and Tuesday, May 2, two 12-foot panels of the netting were cut away and removed - which will cost an estimated £500 to replace.

“It just rips your heart out,” said club chairman Gary Cox. “We’re very proud of our nets and they’re well used by the community. We’ve got four Saturday teams, two Thursday teams and one on a Sunday plus seven junior teams.

“When the nets were built, a security fence was put up too but they’ve managed to get in. It’s very frustrating for the club.”

It left the club’s volunteers with a race against time to find a solution for the launch of its All Stars and Dynamos programme this year.

The All Stars, which is for five to eight-year-olds, and the Dynamos for those aged nine and over, was set to get underway yesterday.

“We’ve got 120 children coming down to the club,” added Mr Cox. “So it’s not great timing for us.”

A temporary solution has been put in place to make the nets usable while a permanent fix is sourced.

We reported last week how Weddington Sports Junior Football Club, which operates from Nuneaton Old Edwardians Rugby Club which borders Nuneaton Cricket Club, was also hit by vandals who trashed football nets with scissors.