Rugby club plagued by vandalism welcomes councils' CCTV plans
A NEW CCTV camera has been welcomed by the president of New Milton Rugby Club which has been hit by a recent spate of vandalism.
After nearly a year of discussion, the town council reached an agreement with New Forest District Council for the surveillance to be put in place on Ashley Recreation Ground within two months.
Speaking to the A&T, president Rohan Thomas said he had been frustrated by repeated incidents of “wanton damage” and trouble at the site off Normans Way.
“I want people to enjoy themselves down there, whether they are playing rugby or not – it’s the wanton vandalism I don’t agree with, Mr Thomas said.
“I welcome any deterrent that stops wanton damage and trouble for people in the local area.”
As reported in the A&T, the club suffered hundreds of pounds of damage when vandals went on an overnight wrecking spree in June.
Bridging tiles were found to have been ripped from the roof of its pavilion following reports youngsters were spotted up there.
Metal goalposts owned by the club were also targeted, including one on the pitch outside the neighbouring Ashley Junior School which was pulled from the ground and snapped in two.
Another £1,500 set of goalposts was ruined earlier this month, within 24 hours of being installed, with the crossbars bent.
Trouble has also been reported in and around the recreation ground’s play area, including drug abuse.
Mr Thomas expressed particular concern about broken glass littering the site, recalling a recent incident when he and fellow club members helped a young boy who had fallen and cut his hand.
Mr Thomas also highlighted the danger that vandals posed to themselves when they targeted the area, referring to the youths who climbed on the pavilion’s roof.
“If one of them had slipped, they would have dropped 40ft,” he said. “So I’m concerned about the harm they could do to themselves as much as the damage they could cause. I don’t want any young people getting hurt through their thoughtless actions.
“Hopefully people will take notice of the camera and think they can be caught, so they will be put off from causing any trouble.”
Town clerk Graham Flexman announced the CCTV agreement at a recent meeting of the council’s finance and general purposes meeting.
The breakthrough followed a recent review in Ashley by NFDC’s service manager for housing, community safety and CCTV, Brian Byrne, and civil contingencies and CCTV manager James Knight.
Committee chair Cllr Steve Davies said: “We have been battling for this for some time, so this is great news indeed.”
The town council has agreed to meet the costs of installing the camera, with an estimate set to be sent by NFDC for consideration and formal approval.
Mr Flexman told the A&T: “This coverage will provide us with an evidential period to ascertain if it is a deterrent to the damage we have been experiencing.”
