Hull dirt bikers damage Barham AFC children's football pitches

Games had to be rearranged quickly after the damage was discovered on Saturday morning, officials said

Two children's football pitches in Hull have been badly damaged and left "totally unusable" by dirt bike riders, a community club has said.

Deep tyre tracks were discovered on the pitches at the grounds of Barham AFC on Saturday morning, just hours before kick-offs were due to take place.

Lee Noble, club vice-chairman, said it was a "massive headache", with fixtures needing reorganising at short notice.

Mr Noble said: "It's not the first time. It happens every other week."

The club, which began a year ago with just one team, had since grown quickly to where it had become a "massive community club" with several pitches, a men's squad and eight children's teams, ranging from under sevens to under 15s, according to Mr Noble.

"But sadly, instances of dirt bikes being used to tear up the pitches is nothing new," he said.

Mr Noble said damage caused by quad bikes at the Barham AFC pitches "happens every other week, most recently two weeks ago".

The club said damage similar to that caused at the weekend was a "regular occurence"

The damage at the weekend, which was discovered by a dog walker, had meant two pitches were "total unusable", with five games having to be rearranged as a result, he said.

The chief executive said compost had to be kept at the grounds so it could be used to repair the damage caused by the bikers.

Some of the players' parents had already donated tonnes of top soil which, along with the compost, would be used by volunteers to repair the new damage to the pitches, Mr Noble said.

"This is a massive headache, but we've not bothered contacting the police this time.

"We've notified them numerous times before. They say they will log it and look into it, but nothing ever happens."

Insp Joanne Harvey, from Humberside Police, said the force had been made aware of reports of bikes being ridden antisocially and causing damage at the club's grounds on Valiant Drive on Saturday.

"Our parks and playing fields are there to be enjoyed by our communities and it is totally unacceptable for them to be damaged," she said.

"My team are patrolling in and around the area, engaging with the local community and working closely with partners to identify those involved," Insp Harvey added.

Parents of players have donated topsoil to repair the damage