A GANG of teenage yobs prevented police from getting to a cricket club after going on the rampage in the grounds.

Members of Bradshaw Cricket Club found themselves trapped in their clubhouse when 40 young people started vandalising equipment and shouting abuse on Sunday night.

The teenagers hauled an 11-foot-high sight screen off the outfield and onto Rigby Lane to prevent officers driving up to stop them.

Secretary Mike Buckley spoke of his terror after getting caught up in the mayhem. He had rushed to the ground at around 8pm after a neighbour rang to warn that the gang was pulling up boundary marker flags.

The 44-year-old found himself alone and confronted by the large group just after 8pm. He said: “There were 10 of them watching me picking up the flags and when I was about half way round I saw another 30 of them coming out from under the pitch covers.

“I thought ‘oh my God’ as my car was on the other side of the grounds. Some of them picked up the flags and were throwing them at me. I just picked them up and didn’t say a word. When I got to the clubhouse I got in and locked the door.

“These weren’t little kids. If they were, we would have gone out and told them off. These were older teenagers, old enough to know what they were doing.

“I had to sit there and watch them crashing the club’s sight screen on to the road and there was nothing we could do. By the time the police got past they had all scattered.

“It was very intimidating, they were off their heads on something. It wasn’t a good situation. I didn’t realise how much trouble we were in.”

Mr Buckley contacted another club member who kept a watchful eye by remotely accessing the club’s CCTV cameras before coming to his aide.

The man, who asked not to be named, added: “As he approached the area about 30 youngsters came out from under the pitch covers. I jumped into my car and went down there. We were given a volley of abuse. We thought we wouldn’t be safe confronting them ourselves and we didn’t know if they were armed or not.

“It was just so frustrating. They blocked the road off so the police couldn’t get round quickly enough. I’m a big lad and passionate about the club but I felt intimidated.

“They were goading us and jumping up and down on the pitch covers. I don’t think they realised the harm they were causing.”

The men were in the club for over an hour as the gang moved around the ground.

Mr Buckley said he initially called 101 but could not get through and instead resorted to calling 999 for help.

Police said they were called to the club at 8.20pm to reports of anti-social behaviour and there were no arrests.

After the teenagers had left, club members said they found evidence of drug use under the pitch covers and the CCTV footage from the incident has been handed to the police.

In March, The Bolton News reported how teenagers had caused almost £4,000 worth of damage to the club so far this year.

Club chairman Steve Dickinson said: “It is so frustrating because of the potential damage caused to the club again. We do not know the full extent or level of the damage yet but it is the same old story.

“The covers have a sponsor and are a £6,000 investment from a local company. For people to think they can just come along and jump on them is dreadful.

“This is not how we want the club to be portrayed. We want people to feel free to come along at any time and feel safe.”

Inquiries are ongoing into the latest incident and anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting reference 1925 of 03/09/17.