Trespassers cause thousands of pounds damage to Market Drayton Town pitch

The damage has been caused by people playing on Market Drayton Town's first team pitch at Greenfields over the festive period without permission.

Club officials today said the pitch had been left in a worse state than it would be after a first team match.

Police have said the damage could cause the club, which plays in Evo-Stik Northern League division one, to postpone matches.

The pitch is not available to the public and is only used by the club on match days.

Club director Clive Jones said the damage is believed to have been caused on Sunday by a group of youths.

He said: "The ground has been left worse off than if a normal game had been played on it. Why these youths chose to use the club's pitch when there are a number of other pitches surrounding, I do not know.

"But it does appear that they knew what they were doing and for some reason they wanted to cause damage. The police have been informed and they are working with us to get to the bottom of it."

Manager Martyn Davies said he was dreading seeing the extent of the damage.

He said: "It is just annoying. We have voluntary groundsmen that keep the pitch in a good condition and they spend a lot of hours doing that so it is just disappointing.

"Now we will have to pay to fix it as well. We take a lot of pride in our pitch.

"I hope we don't have to postpone any games but the weather has not been good recently."

Constable Mick Sturland of West Mercia Police's safer neighbourhood team for Market Drayton said thousands of pounds of damage had been caused.

He said: "The club are dealing with it and I have offered security advice.

"They may well install CCTV.

"The pitch is private and signs are erected already but more will be erected in due course.

I have told them the area needs to be more secure."