BAXENDEN vandals are dicing with death by tampering with heavy Cricket equipment at their local cricket ground.

For more than a year, Baxenden Cricket Club has suffered at the hands of the teenage tearaways who regularly target the Back Lane ground. In the past year, club officials have calculated that more than £1,000 of damage has been inflicted on the Ribblesdale League side.

Players regularly arrive for training to find the score box has been broken into, and more recently, found the practise nets had been cut.

But, says first team player Paul Clegg, it is not the damage they are worried about.

He said: "On several occasions we have found the sight screens have been knocked onto their side.

"This is very dangerous because they weigh more than a ton and if the hooligans were to be underneath it as it fell they could be seriously injured, if not killed.

"Last year, the one sight screen fell over and virtually crushed a car. If it can do that to a car, imagine what it would do to somebody underneath it.

"It takes three people to move it, so it certainly isn't safe to be moved by a group of children."

The spate of attacks has sent insurance premiums spiralling, even after a hefty excess was introduced.

Mr Clegg added: "We also know somebody is tampering with the roller, which are very dangerous. On a couple of occasions, we have found people sleeping in our equipment shed.

"These youngsters obviously have a drink then decide to cause some damage."

Anyone with information about any of the incidents should contact Accrington Police on 382141.

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