Treasure hunter leaves pitches in tatters

A TREASURE-hunter has left council football pitches in tatters after digging 100 holes at two recreation grounds.

A mystery man with a metal detector is wanted on suspicion of causing criminal damage after being seen digging some 60 holes at Whinfield Rec on Friday evening September 26. A further 40 hold were found at Featherbed Lane recreation ground in Hillmorton.

Both pitches are set to out of action for a number of weeks as Rugby Borough Council has declared them unsafe. A cricket square was also damaged.

John Betts, match secretary of the Rugby District Sunday League, was shocked.

He said: “We pay for those pitches to be in good condition. You can't play on pitches with divots in because you could easily break a leg.

“It's sad that someone has ruined people's enjoyment of football just by digging a hole in the ground in the hope of finding a penny.

“I've been involved with the league for 30 odd years and we've had to deal with dog mess and rabbit holes, but never human beings digging up our pitches.

“I'd tell him to come back on Sunday morning and do it in front of 22 people who want to play on that pitch.”

He added the league could be seriously hit if further pitches were targeted.

Colin Horton, Rugby Borough Council's green spaces officer, said: "Whoever this person is they did not have permission from us to dig up our pitches, which have now been put out of action for some considerable time.

"This is criminal damage that has caused extra expense and inconvenience to residents and to the football teams."

Rugby Borough Council environment spokesman Coun Mark Williams said they were keen to catch the culprit.

He added: "Inconsiderate and criminal behaviour from an individual cannot be allowed to inconvenience so many people without being punished.

"We will follow these incidents up to the fullest extent allowed by the law, and would ask anyone who may have seen this criminal to report what they saw to the police."

Anyone with information should call police on , referencing crime number 23N7/21597Z/14.

Rugby Borough Council's green spaces officer Colin Horton (right) and groundsman Jim Wood, inspect the damage at Whinfield Rec. (s)

Share This

Regional news »