Newbury Cricket Club nets torched in suspected arson

Damage estimated at £10,000

Newbury Cricket Club says it is devastated and angry after arsonists torched the club's practice nets, causing an estimated £10,000 damage.

A crew from Newbury Fire Station were called to the cricket club ground in Northcroft Lane at 6.30pm on Monday evening.

Firefighters used a hosereel to extinguish the blaze before leaving the grounds at 7.15pm and putting the cause down to a suspected arson.

Club secretary, Paul Monger, said this morning (Tues) the club members were devastated at the loss, estimated at £10,000.

This was after £18,000 had been raised by the hard work of club members to pay for the two practice nets and concrete bases.

Both nets were destroyed in the fire, leaving just the new concrete bases, which he hoped were not also damaged in the fire.

"We are all very angry," said Mr Monger, who continued that the club had suffered repeated attacks by vandals over the last couple of years, including to the club house.

"It was our practice facility, so we have no-where for our three junior teams to play and none of the seniors can practice," he added.

The teams, he continued, had been just about to move from indoor to outdoor training and were now faced with looking for temporary training facilities.

The club is in the process of setting up a Just Giving page to raise the money to replace the nets.

For more on this story pick up a copy of the Newbury Weekly News on Thursday.