LIVES - and Bolton Road Sports Club's new home - are being put at risk by "professional" yobs.

Systematic damage by vandals is threatening to delay the construction of the controversial new sports complex on land off Elton Vale Road.

Developers Mallinsons, who are preparing the site for the new sports club, said plant machinery, property and drainage systems are being targeted by saboteurs.

Damage includes the removal of manhole covers from the drainage system - which is repeatedly blocked, superglue poured into locks on HGVs, the cutting of cables and hoses on hydraulic equipment, and repeated damage to the surrounding site fencing.

Mr John Lamery of Mallinsons said: "If this continues there is every possibility that a member of the public or a workman will get seriously hurt or even killed." Bolton Road Sports Club's new home must be completed before work can begin on new homes on their current Bolton Road headquarters, together with a new base for Bolton Road Methodist Church. The three-pronged development was at the centre of a major planning saga which spanned more than ten years.

The club looked for a number of potential new sites after their landlords, Bolton Road Methodist Church, decided to sell the land to pay for a new church building.

There was widespread opposition to the club moving to the site in Elton, with many local residents against the move.

Bury Council have been alerted to the vandalism attacks, as have the police. Insurance claims are being made by the contractors.

Mr Alan Fletcher of Bolton Road Sports Club said: "It is certainly not children as the damage is too sophisticated and appears to be carefully planned and carried out under cover of darkness.

"We feel it is necessary to highlight what is going on at the site and try to put a stop to it."

PC Simon Walton of Bury Township Police said he was aware of the vandalism problems surrounding the development and efforts were being made to catch those responsible.

"We are keeping the area under observation," he said.

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