A FOOTBALL club boss has called for tougher laws to curb yobs after his Atherton club house was targeted for the second time in two weeks.

Secretary of Atherton Collieries FC Frank Anderson said he felt "under siege" and said police seem powerless to stop the burglars from keep coming back to raid their headquarters at Alder House in Alder Street.

In the latest incident on Sunday, burglars smashed their way into the club house and stole a cash till and six bottles of spirits.

But the burglaries have become so common that the club is not even bothering to put new glass in and instead has kept two windows boarded up and is considering bricking up a side door.

Mr Anderson said: "We are under constant siege and it means we are channelling our energy into something other than football.

"There was hardly anything in the till but the whole thing ended up costing more than £100 because of the damage done.

"For a club like ours that's quite a lot of money. We're seen as an easy touch because we're off the beaten track.

"I'd like to see greater powers in the court. The last lad to appear in court for breaking in to our clubhouse only got community service. It's a bit of a joke and seems to suggest crime pays."

Atherton Colls plays host to six teams including Bolton Wanderers' Girls, three junior teams which play in the Bolton Boys Federation, and two adult teams which take part in the North-west County First Division.

In the past, yobs have thrown beer barrels through the clubhouse's windows and littered broken bottles across the pitch.