Cricket club "shocked" by suspected arson of pavilion

The pavilion at Bradfield Southend Cricket Club was burnt to the ground in the early hours of this morning (Wednesday)

A FIRE which gutted a cricket pavilion this morning (Wednesday) is believed to have been started deliberately.

The Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service has said it suspects that arson may have been the cause of the fire at Bradfield Cricket Club's pavilion in Heath Road, Bradfield Southend, in the early hours.

The club chairman said the damage caused by the fire was “soul destroying” and had ruined the club's plans to extend the pavilion.

Fire crews from Newbury and Reading attended the blaze at about 4.13am and used two main jets to extinguish the fire.

Firefighters also had to deal with five liquid propane gas cylinders at the scene.

Southern Electric were called to the site to isolate the electric supply.

By noon, a fire investigation team and Thames Valley Police were still on the scene trying to establish the cause of the fire.

The club, which has been active since the 1860s, had only just lodged a planning application with West Berkshire Council to extend the pavilion.

Club chairman John Bargent, who has been associated with the club as a player, groundsman, coach and now player-chairman, says these plans will now have to be shelved.

“We've put in a lot of work over the last five years to build the club, with youth teams now in place.

“Without a pavilion we're stumped. We'll have to organise something on a temporary basis before the season starts in April.”

The club's welfare officer and captain of the men's second side, David Brown, added: “We're in absolute shock. I don't know what to say. The building has been there for years. I don't know what we're going to do.”

Thames Valley Police spokeswoman Rebecca Webber said: “Police were called by the fire service at 4.19am this morning to reports the cricket pavilion on Heath Road, Bradfield, was on fire.

“Police and the fire service believe the matter is suspicious and it has been recorded as arson. Anyone with any information about the incident or who saw any suspicious activity in the area should contact PC Daniel Howard via the 24-hour Police Enquiry Centre on 101. If you don't want to speak to police or leave your name, call the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

For more on this story, pick up a copy of this week's Newbury Weekly News.

Picture by David Brown.