Appeal target smashed after pitch damage

Club bosses inspect the damage at the pitch used by Ludgvan Lions football club

An online appeal to raise funds to fix a damaged football pitch, after the site was used for an unauthorised encampment, has nearly doubled its target.

The pitch used by Ludgvan Lions Junior Football Club near Penzance was found covered in divots and muddy indentations and there was diesel on the grass near one goalmouth.

The original target for the fundraiser was £3,000 but the appeal was closed when it reached £5,736 after 171 individual donations.

A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said the force was making inquiries after receiving a report of criminal damage to a sports field at Ludgvan Community Centre.

Diesel had been spilt on the grass in the goalmouth

The football club's secretary Nicola Simpson-Edmands said she hoped the incident would "turn into something positive".

Ludgvan Lions had to cancel the remaining fixtures of the season when the pitch was left unplayable after the encampment over Easter weekend.

As well as deep divots and ruts all over the three acre site, there were also several areas where diesel had been spilt onto the playing surface.

Club chair Arthur Denton said the area in the goalmouth where the diesel was spilt would have to be "dug out and reseeded".

He added: "The whole area will have to be rolled and then topsoil added to fill the divots and then rolled again until its as level as we can get it."

Club secretary Nicola Simpson-Edmands said people had been "really supportive"

Ms Simpson-Edmands had been in charge of the fundraising campaign.

She said: "We were quite surprised when we got to the target (£3,000) within 24 hours and now it's been smashed well and truly.

"Everybody's been so kind donating money, time.

"We are at the amount we needed so we had to shut it down.

"All the parents, local farmers and businesses have been really supportive.

"What happened was really bad but I think it will turn into something positive for the club."