Cricket club fundraise after fire ruins equipment

Friday's fire is thought to have caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to the club's equipment

A village cricket club has launched a fundraiser after it lost equipment worth tens of thousands of pounds in a fire.

Heyford Cricket Club, based in Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire, said it believed the blaze was started deliberately.

Northamptonshire Police confirmed it was investigating after the fire at the club, based near Middle Street, which started between 21:30 BST and 22:30 on Friday.

A fundraiser has already raised more than £3,300 and Rob Pardon, the club's chairman, said the response had been "phenomenal".

He said: "One thing we’ve definitely learnt from this is if another club is in crisis we’ll be the first ones to put our hands up and help them as well.

"That’s what the cricketing community should do."

Rob Pardon said the club had been blown away by the support of the local cricket community

Mr Pardon said Friday's fire was reported after members of the neighbouring Nether Heyford Bowls Club spotted smoke.

He said arson was suspected because the club had previously been targeted by vandalism.

The fire destroyed the cricket club's storage container, which contained "specialist" equipment - such as mowers and a cricket pitch roller - that the club had recently purchased for £12,000.

The club, which has three adult teams and numerous children's teams, estimated that in all the damage totalled to about £30,000.

Mr Pardon said the club was insured but added "we don't know how that's going to unravel".

He said local clubs including St Crispins and Ryelands Cricket Club, Brixworth Cricket Club and Yelvertoft Cricket Club were among those who had come forward with fundraising support and offers of using their facilities.

The club said it would be doing its "very best to fulfil" its remaining 2024 home fixtures.

A roller and mowers were among the "specialist" equipment which were destroyed by the fire