TWO sports clubs have been ransacked by thieves in break-ins.

Greenmount Cricket Club and Elton Vale Sports Club were both broken into at the end of last month.

A group of yobs smashed their way into Greenmount Cricket Club in the early hours of Sunday, July 28, causing damage to doors and walls.

When the club’s chairman, Rob Kilvington, arrived at the ground later that morning he found chairs hurled from the balcony, while the dressing rooms had been broken into.

Inside, the intruders had wreaked havoc by smashing holes in doors and walls, as well attempting to pull urinals from the walls.

Mr Kilvington said: “It is massively frustrating, it is just mindless vandalism and a lot of money will have to go towards repairing that.

“It could have been a lot worse. though. At least nothing has been taken.”

Forensic officers have visited the club to obtain clues, and police have launched an investigation into the break-in.

Meanwhile, Elton Vale Sports Club was also broken into the following evening.

Thieves prised open a fire door before smashing their way through to the bar area.

There, they broke open tills, ripped the hard drive from the club’s CCTV system and stole a safe.

Management at the club, in Elton Vale Road, took to Facebook the following day to say the break-in had left them feeling “very disgruntled”.

The statement read: “Elton Vale Sports Club was broken into last night.

“It would appear the thieves have been in at some point yesterday when the club was open and tampered with our alarm system.

“They have returned at some point in the night and have removed the shutter and prised the fire exit door open to gain entry.

“They have smashed their way through to the bar area, smashed our tills open, ripped out the hard drive to the CCTV and stolen our safe.”

When approached by the Bury Times, Elton Vale Sports Club declined to comment on the incident.

Anyone with information on either incident should call police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.