Thieves steal balls and goalposts from Telford children's football team

Training sessions at Telford Junior Football Club were cancelled following the discovery of the break-in.

Club coach Ian Preece said a passer-by at the site, in Doseley Road, Dawley, discovered the damage.

Padlocks on the dugouts were broken and the store rooms vandalised, while numerous balls and the goal posts are among the missing items which will cost between £300 to £400 to replace.

Heartbroken bosses at the club that has more than 100 youngsters registered, including players with disabilities, say they are in a race against time to get the premises ready for today's first team home match.

Club coach Ian Preece said: "We are devastated because we run the club for free for the community.

"We have built it up to quite a good level and unfortunately the break-in stopped us from offering that free service. We had to cancel last night's training sessions due to the state of the place and the lack of equipment.

"The culprits must have come in Wednesday overnight. On Thursday we got a call from one of the neighbours who had been walking across the pitches and they saw a trail of equipment strewn on the ground.

"I got there at about 6.45am and to my horror I could see that someone had actually broken the padlocks to force open our locked dugouts and remove our gear. they then took them over the field because you can see where as they left bits of the equipment fell on the ground and they left those them behind.

"The agility poles were recovered by another member of the public in Dawley Park.

"Our training balls and some items we use with the children with special needs have been taken.

"I just can’t believe there that there are people out there that would do this, I'm absolutely disgusted," he added.

Mr Preece praised residents for their offers of help and equipment to get the club back up and running after his appeal on social media network Facebook.

Parent Claire Louise posted: "This team has been an absolute saving grace for my boy - and the team have worked tirelessly in supporting him and others with their football. They have played a cracking season this year, which has ultimately ended in misery.

The police has been informed.

The club is registered with the West Midlands Regional League and is operated by Mr Preece, club chairman Glyn Griffiths and club manager Paul Sankey with the help of other volunteer coaches.

The first team that plays in the Telford & Wrekin Junior League is due to face Old Wulfrunians at the site at 3pm today and there are hopes that football can resume tomorrow.