VANDALS are ruining plans to develop young people's cricket at a local club.

A spate of attacks in recent weeks at Atherton Cricket Club has forced officials to spend thousands of pounds on repairs -- instead of pumping more cash into paying for extra coaching and facilities for their youth players.

The latest incident came at the weekend when youths kicked in 14 fence panels around the ground. The fencing was only bought three years ago following generous donations from the public.

Fed-up club chairman Derek Bannister says the latest vandalism comes on top of £1,500 worth of damage to the pavilion roof a month ago, and an attack on a storage garage which cost more than £1,000 to repair. "I have been here 50-odd years and this is by far the worst the vandalism has ever been," said Mr Bannister.

"It is lots of little things, like someone going up the flag pole and cutting the rope, or pulling the letters off the scoreboard. I dread what I am going to find next."

He blames the problems on youths who have been causing trouble in the Howe Bridge area recently.

He warned that unless vandal attacks at the Eckersley Fold Lane ground stop, cash they hoped to use to develop young players may have to be cut.

"We are only a small club but we have got a thriving youth section," said Mr Bannister.

"If we have to spend money on repairs, then it is money we cannot spend on coaching and we will have make cutbacks."

"The police have the details and know who they are, but nothing seems to be done," said Mr Bannister.