VANDALS have damaged two sight screens — days after they were put up at a cricket club.

Volunteers at Bradshaw Cricket Club in Rigby Lane, Bradshaw, were horrified to discover the screens, which members had helped to build, had been damaged by youths playing football.

To save funds, members used money from sponsors Performance Electrical and the junior team sponsor, Westlands, to built the screens for £1,000 — thousands of pounds less than the cost of buying new screens.

They were placed at the club in time for the second team’s first game on Easter Sunday and were damaged on Easter Monday.

Steve Dickinson, chairman at the club, said: “I would like the people who did this to understand how much effort it takes to run clubs with 70 to 80 juniors coming.

“Coaches and volunteers do it free of charge. We try and improve the facilities and some lads have been playing football on a cricket pitch.

“They knew they were doing the damage. I want their parents to know what they have done and if they are willing to put something towards maintaining them.

“It’s hitting the club — if it was their iPad or mobile phone I kicked with a football, they wouldn’t like it.

“It would be nice if they could own up. We know people make mistakes. We don’t want them to pay for the damage or prosecute them.”

He said the damage was “annoying and mindless”. The club has CCTV cameras but not all of the ground can be covered. The club is looking into improving security.

One of the members saw the two boys and spoke to them but did not realise damage had been caused until later.

The incident comes weeks after Darcy Lever Cricket Club was targeted by yobs who caused hundreds of pounds of damage.

The damage at the club in Hacken Lane included broken sight screens, drain spouts pulled from a building, with one thrown on to the club house roof and turf churned up.

Daffodils were also pulled up, a security light damaged and part of the wickets dug out.