Antisocial youths driving out members - cricket club

Young people brandishing hammers and stumps fought each other on the pitch

A cricket club has said violence and antisocial behaviour it has faced has been "massively damaging" to its reputation and could see it lose members.

Maghull Cricket Club, near Liverpool, has made about 25 police reports since July last year about people harassing players, setting off fireworks and vandalising its equipment.

Neil Dutton, the club secretary, said an incident on Friday saw young people fighting on the cricket field - some armed with hammers - during a junior coaching session.

Merseyside Police said a boy, 14, had been arrested.

Mr Dutton told the BBC: "I had to speak to two parents straight away because their kids were that upset.

"They were like, 'We don't want to come back'.

"The fact that they might not want to play because they don't feel safe is absolutely devastating."

Mr Dutton, who has been involved with the club for 25 years, said: "It's not just kids strolling around and then doing it on a whim. It's like they're coming to the cricket club to cause trouble."

He added that another club's planned match at the club this week was now in doubt over safety concerns.

"I genuinely wouldn't be surprised if some kids did not come back, through no fault of ours, and I couldn't blame the parents either," he said.

"It hurts our standing within the league we play in and it's not a good look for us or the community as a whole."

Mr Dutton said he had been in discussions with the council about potential solutions, including fencing off the club's grounds from the nearby canal towpath.

He asked for the community to help deter young people from frequenting the cricket ground.

"There's loads of playing fields, there's loads of spaces to play football, if that's what they want to play," Mr Dutton said.

"There's no reason for them to be at the cricket club if they're not taking part in the cricket activities, and that's what I'd like parents to be telling their kids."

Merseyside Police said boy from Maghull had been arrested on suspicion of affray, possession of a weapon in a public place and possession of cannabis.