A CRICKET club that has been "at the heart of the community" for decades has been devastated by three break-ins in three weeks.

The latest burglary at the East Lancashire Paper Mill Cricket Club in Radcliffe saw offenders break through the roof, ransack the building's interior and cause significant smoke damage in the main room after attempting to start a fire.

First captain Paul Hewart said he is awaiting an update from the fire service as to whether the building is structurally sound and can be used again.

The 43-year-old, who has played for the club since he was a teenager, said: "They have smashed the place up. They tried to set fire to a section of the main room.

“We were hit earlier this year but it was nothing like these past few weeks.

“They have come through the roof and put a hole in the ceiling. They have been on a rampage through the bar area and smashed everything up. They have stolen our old television from on the wall.

“We do not leave anything of value in the building so you can’t understand why someone would do this.

“We have guys who keep an eye on the club. They went down and found it vandalised.

"We are lucky it has not gone up in flames."

The damage was discovered by one of the club members on the morning of Friday, December 28. The break-in was believed to have occurred overnight.

It followed an attempted burglary on Christmas Eve and another break-in two weeks prior to that.

Mr Hewart has praised the players who have rallied together to tidy the clubhouse and offered their support in the immediate aftermath of the raid.

But he said the future of the club venue was uncertain.

"This was the heart of the club", he said. "We have our club nights here and open up the bar during the summer. It helps us raise our money. Without it, we would be in great difficulty.

"It is a friendly club. Anyone is welcome so you can't understand this.

"The members have been down there helping to clear up the mess. They are rallying round.

"We might have to knock it down and rebuild it. When we get a clearer picture, we may need more help."

The East Lancashire Paper Mill Cricket Club was established more than eighty years ago.

Earlier this month, an outline planning application to build 400 homes on the former East Lancashire Paper Mill site, on which the cricket ground lies, was approved by Bury Council's planning control sub-committee.

As part of the plans, Bury Council and Homes England intend to relocate the existing cricket ground off Croft Lane to the opposite side of the retained reservoir, at Tower Farm.

The latest burglary has been reported to Greater Manchester Police. Fire crews attended on Friday afternoon.

The club posted on Facebook on Friday: "Sadly we regret to inform people that ELPMCC has been vandalised, this time there has been extensive fire damage and we are awaiting further instruction from the police and fire brigade.

"This is not just a cricket club but a massive part of the Radcliffe community and we ask that anyone with any information regarding the perpetrators of this crime, contact the police."

Mr Hewart urged anyone who would like to show their support to contact the club via its Facebook page East Lancs Paper Mill CC.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: "We can confirm that this was reported to us just after 4pm on December 28, 2018.

"The incident is being treated as a burglary."