Gotts Park Golf Club vandalism sparks extra police patrols

Significant damage was caused by off-road bikers and quad bikers at Gotts Park Golf Club, police said

A golf club in Leeds whose greens have repeatedly been torn up by vandals will be the focus of extra police patrols.

Gotts Park Golf Club in Armley, Leeds, has been hit by anti-social behaviour several times over the past two years.

"Significant damage" was again caused by off-road bikers in an attack last weekend, West Yorkshire Police said.

The club, which is mostly run by volunteers, has said it may have to close as it could not afford to keep making repairs.

Insp Lise Jones said costly damage had been caused by off-road bikes and quad bikes being ridden over the greens at the club both at the weekend and on a number of previous occasions.

The "completely unacceptable behaviour" had sparked increased police patrols of the area "to deter further incidents", she added.

West Yorkshire Police said it had increased patrols in the area to deter further incidents

Volunteers took over the running of the 90-year-old club about six years ago.

At that time, the club employed about seven staff to maintain the greens but they were now looked after by two people, with the club run on a "shoestring" budget, a club spokesperson previously said.

Karon Bickers, a volunteer board member, recently told the BBC that club members had put their "heart and soul" into trying to keep the club going.

She said the latest damage was "soul destroying, heartbreaking".