Outrage over wrecking spree at New Milton Rugby Club

YOUTHS have been blamed for an overnight vandalism spree at New Milton Rugby Club in which roof tiles were ripped away and goalposts broken.

Frustrated by the “wanton” damage amounting to hundreds of pounds, club chairman Andrew Frend told the A&T teenagers often gather at the site in Normans Way, Ashley.

Following reports that youngsters had been spotted on the club building’s roof last Friday evening, the damage was discovered the following morning.

In addition to the dislodged bridging tiles, one metal goalpost had been pushed over and bent, while another had its crossbar bent.

Another goalpost owned by the rugby club was targeted on a pitch outside the neighbouring Ashley Junior School. This one was pulled from the ground and snapped in two. A fire had also been started below one of the posts.

Estimating the total damage to the goalposts amounted to around £1,500, Mr Frend speculated that the offenders would have put “a hell of an effort” into bending and snapping them. He added water would also be able to leak through the damaged roof.

“It’s frustrating,” he said. “All the hard work that goes into running the club, and for people to come up and wantonly damage it.

“I just don’t understand the mentality of why people would do it.”

The club reported the vandalism to New Milton Town Council, which responded by taping off the damaged goalposts on Saturday. However, Mr Frend said this cordon was also ripped away during Saturday night.

With no games scheduled until pre-season matches in August before the season proper launches in September, the council later removed the damaged goalposts pending their replacement.

Mr Frend said the club’s Ashley sports ground base had become a popular haunt for youngsters who would often congregate there after school finished. Members would often find drink bottles and shards of glass on the site.

“I think they choose this place because it’s out of sight, it’s not overlooked massively; and it’s off the main road,” he explained.

“They use the car park for skateboarding and cycling because of the smooth surface, I guess. I’ve not got so much of a problem with that – they’ve got to go somewhere to have some fun – just don’t go trashing other people’s property.”

Last Monday night, the chairman had himself confronted a pair of youths he discovered on the roof of the club building after going out onto the balcony to investigate noises he heard during a meeting inside.

“It was really dangerous as they were right on the apex of the roof and could have fallen,” he recalled.

“So I called them down and they reluctantly came down.”

Believing the combination of a balcony and a flat section of roof provided easy access to youths, the chairman said the club and council would work together to come up with preventative measures. This could include extra fencing, which he lamented could “ruin the aesthetics of the club”.

Emphasising the importance of tackling the damage and littering at the sports ground, Mr Frend pointed out it is public land used by many people including dog walkers.

He stressed the incident would not have any effect on the New Milton Rugby Club Family Fun Day which is due to take place at the site on Saturday. As reported in the A&T, this event featuring multi-sport try-out sessions was delayed from 8 June due to a forecast of poor weather.

Police are investigating last Friday night’s vandalism, and people are being urged to come forward if they witnessed any suspicious activity.

Anyone with information should contact Hampshire officers on 101, quoting crime reference number 44190215964, or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.