Football club calls for help after Bury pitches wrecked

Around £20,000 worth of equipment is reported to have been stolen from Seedfield Sports Junior Football Club in Bury last night, Thursday, when five pitches were destroyed.

The club, which has 13 different teams, has been left devastated however volunteers say that the support they have received is incredible after raising over £4,000 in just 12 hours.

Mark Hamilton, who has been the under 11s coach at the club for five years, said: “Everyone has been offering to help though lending equipment, doing charity games, raising money, or donating.

“The response across Bury has been amazing from the community, people who have seen our posts, and from other clubs too.

“At the end of the day, we are all in the same boat, we all love what we do and have day jobs on top of volunteering at the club.

Plans for 84 homes at Seedfield Centre site approved

“We do this for the love of it, so when you see mindless acts like that, it just makes you angry but hopefully something good can come out of it all.”

After seeing the destruction to the pitches, club members discovered that their containers, full of equipment including lawn mowers and a line marking machine, had been emptied.

Thieves steal garden sets from Bury Hospice's impatient unit

Mark said: “Our chairman (Les Edwards) who you can see in the photo is devastated, this is his life and soul.

For information on how to donate see here.

“He is always down there cutting the grass and making sure the pitches are playable for the kids no matter the weather.

“All that has gone, they have taken everything and it’s a real shame.”

The club say they want to get "Seedfield back on its feet" and "bring football back to the kids" as soon as possible and have been appealing for help via social media.

As of 11am today, Friday, October 13, the Parkinson Street club had raised £4,825 of their £10,000 target.

If you have any information contact police on 101.