Off-road bikes have torn up the pitch at a football club, which is now desperately trying to repair it for its forthcoming fixtures.
Members of Old Rivingtonians were left shocked on Wednesday morning as they discovered the damage done.
They are now faced with the task of repairing the pitch in time for their weekend fixtures.
The club has over 250 members who make up 20 teams at junior and senior levels. The damaged pitch at Green Lane is mainly used by the open age teams, but sometimes the club’s youth teams play there.
READ MORE: Tearing up of Horwich playing fields by quadbikes 'selfish'
The damage can make the pitch unplayable (Image: Old Rivingtonians)
Club secretary and Horwich Town Councillor for the Lever Park Ward Cllr Stewart Burke says that “with a bit of work by club volunteers”, games should go ahead on the field this weekend, but if there were to be any further damage before then that would be doubtful.
He added: “It will mean that we will have to repair the damage as best as we can in order for it to be fit for the weekend.
“It’s happened on the other side of the fields before, causing real damage, and we have seen vehicles on this side as well.
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“It’s a constant worry as it’s so easy for someone to come on and do so much damage in such a short period of time.
Our pitch isn't the greatest at the best of times and then you get this. Makes the blood boil😡#NoRespect. pic.twitter.com/T7hmqWizkF
— Old Rivingtonians FC Mens. (@OldRivsMens) March 1, 2023
“The other side was fenced off a while ago after numerous times of damage b, but also as a safety fence to stop kids running directly into the road chasing after balls.
"Whether something like that on this side would be an option to help prevent this happening is something we can explore.”
Stewart has been instrumental in helping make the area and the club a more pleasant place to be, says first team manager Jeff Berry.
He has helped paint the changing room exterior, install a new bench, and managed to get a dog bag dispenser in the area.
The marks seem to have been made by off road bikes (Image: Old Rivingtonians)
“We’ve lifted an old concrete cricket strip that wasn't safe, re-turfed it to bring the pitch back into use, cleared the stream that runs between the pitches with help from the football lads,” Jeff said.
“Plus, generally keeping the area tidy with constant Litter picks.”
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Cllr Burke said: “It’s so easy to cause so much damage in such a short period of time. It’s something all grassroots clubs fear as it has such a knock-on effect and causing issues physically and financially.”
Luckily it appears that there will not be a financial impact this time.
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