'It’s made me sick to my stomach' - vandals systematically trash a cricket clubhouse in a village near Harborough

Vandals who systematically trashed a cricket clubhouse in a village near Market Harborough on Friday are being hunted by police.

The gang smashed their way in to the building at the Castle Ground in Braybrooke before running amok – turning the club’s headquarters upside down.

Devastated cricket club legend Wally Panter, 82, told the Harborough Mail on Friday evening: “I’ve never seen anything like it – it’s made me sick to my stomach.

“The people who did this are the lowest of the low – they are absolute scumbags.”

The village club’s most-capped player, he added as he spoke from the scene: “I’ve been involved with this grand club for 65 years.

“And although we’ve had break-ins in the past and the odd broken window I’ve never seen anything like this.

“I’m looking at a scene of total devastation in front of me.”

Wally, who lives near his beloved club, said club president and former player Clive Underwood alerted him after discovering the shocking attack at 2pm on Friday afternoon.

“Clive, who’s a local farmer and owns the ground, came to check the ground at 11am this morning and it seemed to be fine.

“He went back at about 2pm and he couldn’t believe his eyes,” said the retired engineer and farm worker.

“Clive feared there was something wrong straight away because there were cricket balls scattered all over the out field.

“The louts had smashed our main plate glass window overlooking our ground.

“They had smashed the doors to storm into our clubhouse and then done their best to destroy it.

“I’ve never seen such carnage.

“They had smashed all the cutlery and thrown our furniture all over – settees, chairs and tables all went flying.

“They’ve also opened drawers, scattered cricket kit about and ransacked the place.

“It’s just mindless, wanton vandalism.

“The idiots who did this are pure scum.

“We have some fantastic members and officials who put so much time and effort into looking after and maintaining our clubhouse and ground,” said distraught Wally, who’s the club’s treasurer.

“I just cannot understand why anyone would want to do this.

“It just seems to be damage and destruction for the sake of it.

“They have also battered our veranda.

“This is a massive blow to us all here.

“This attack is going to take us months to sort out and repair – and cost us thousands of pounds.”

Sports-mad Wally said he started playing for Braybrooke as an all rounder when he was just 17 – and played for a staggering 50 years.

“I finally hung up my bat when I was 67.

“I must have played over 1,200 games over all those years as far away as Devon and Yorkshire,” said Wally.

“The cricket club is in my blood – right at the heart of my life.

“I also started the football club here in Braybrooke years ago.

“Our cricket club has been going over 100 years since 1898 – so we will bounce back, these vandals won’t beat us.”

The club stalwart said a window had also been randomly shattered at the clubhouse on Tuesday this week.

“Nothing was taken or smashed then – but I’ve no doubt the two incidents are linked.

“I’m sure they were carried out by the same offenders,” said Wally.

“I haven’t got a clue why we are being targeted.

“I reported today’s outrageous attack to Corby police straight away and I’m waiting for officers to come over and talk to us.

“I’d appeal to anyone who knows anything about this or saw anything out of the ordinary to contact the police immediately.”

A Northamptonshire Police spokeswoman told the Mail: “Unknown offender/s entered the cricket pavilion via the gate.

“Once inside, they damaged the doors and windows and a vast majority of the contents inside.

“All of the cupboard doors were opened as well and the contents were thrown out and smashed.”

If you know anything about this incident or spotted anything suspicious to urgently call police on 101 quoting crime number 20000298311.