A Westhoughton community centre is counting the cost after a fire damaged its Multi-Use Games Area which was set to host summer activities for young people.

The incident was outside the John Holt Community Centre, off Ivy Road, at around 8.30pm on Monday (August 5).

According to Janet Colley, whose Community Interest Company Westhoughton Assist Service took over the community centre six months ago, a toy vehicle was torched on its Multi-Use Games Area by young vandals. There is a big, blackened hole on one of the courts which is to be shut for the foreseeable.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) attended the incident and Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are aware of the incident.

Ms Colley said: "At around 8.30pm a resident said there was a fire on the MUGA and we went down but by the time we were there it was out.

"We looked at the CCTV and there were four boys at around this time. 

"They had a toy vehicle which looked like one of the ones for toddlers.

"They pushed one another around in it for a while but two of the boys packed it with dry grass then they set it alight in the middle of the MUGA."

(Image: Westhoughton Assist Service)

Both Bolton Council and Bolton Wanderers in the Community were in line to use the Multi-Use Game Area through the summer holidays.

Ms Colley is appealing to those in the industry for advice on whether it needs to be repaired or whether it needs to be replaced as a whole.

Ms Colley said: "The children are all devastated because they cannot do anything and it is the summer holidays. 

"We have had to close it because of all the debris there and until the police come we cannot do anything with it."

The incident comes as the community centre attempts to raise thousands towards important improvements.

For information on the GoFundMe go to gofundme.com/f/70-year-old-community-centre-needs-our-help/.

Anyone with information can contact police on 101 or the LiveChat on gmp.police.uk.

They can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The Bolton News asked GMFRS and GMP for a comment.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.