CRICKET club officials are counting the cost of the latest in a spate of vandal attacks which has cost them thousands of pounds.

Louts smashed wooden spectator seats at Bradshaw Cricket Club during a wrecking spree on Tuesday night.

The latest attack comes just weeks after vandals slashed a £4,000 artificial wicket with craft knives.

Vice-chairman Michael Buckley condemned the vandalism saying: "We're sick and tired of this."

He estimated the club has been forced to pay more than £8,000 in the last six months to repair damage caused in the attacks.

Gangs of youngsters have also wrecked bowling greens with broken glass, smashed a wooden garage and stolen two gas-powered barbecues.

Mr Buckley said: "I expect to get a phone call almost every weekend.

"We've been trying to raise money to improve the place through car boot sales and fundraisers and it's all going straight back out to pay for this damage.

"The artificial pitch is insured because it costs so much but we can't afford to insure everything we've got because it already costs us a fortune."

Mr Buckley said he believed gangs of youths who previously gathered at Bromley Cross were now causing problems elsewhere after being moved on by police.

Insp Tony Kenyon said: "We're aware of the problems at the cricket club and we're in the process of investigating a number of reports.

"We are targeting the area and the cricket club in particular with Operation Sahara and a number of other measures to stop anti-social behaviour.

"If anybody has any information regarding vandalism at the cricket club I would urge them to get in touch with us straight away."

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 872 5050 or Crimestoppers on free phone 0800 555 111.