Middlesbrough Football Club to help Thornaby FC after arson

Thornaby FC chief executive Trevor Wing said the fire had caused significant damage

Middlesbrough Football Club is to support a local team after their ground was damaged in an arson attack.

Boro said everybody had been "saddened" by the fire, and they would supply items for a fundraiser and donate furniture to Thornaby FC.

Thornaby, who play in Northern League Division One, are facing a £130,000 repair bill after the blaze on Monday.

Their main stand, shop, office block and community room at Teesdale Park have all been damaged.

A Middlesbrough spokesperson said they were also providing temporary goals so the club can play against Darlington United on Saturday.

The fire was started in the ground's main stand, police said

They added they were "urging all our fans" to show their support for Thornaby after what appeared to have been a "disgraceful act of vandalism".

Thornaby FC chief executive Trevor Wing said the side had become a "community club", which runs on volunteers.

He said: "The lads have worked hard... to build that area for the community and that's just been destroyed.

"I'm just upset about it all, these lads come here every day and work, and they can do that to us."

Out buildings, facilities and tools were destroyed in the fire

The club added that it "appreciates the support for our near neighbours".

More than £6,500 was raised for Thornaby in less than 24 hours after Mr Wing launched an online fundraiser.

Stockton South's Conservative MP Matt Vickers visited the club after the fire, which he said had shown "steely determination".

"It's absolutely devastating to see a club that sits at the heart of the community and is built on the back of volunteers' hard work, dedication and donations has been deliberately trashed by a group of nasty, spiteful criminal yobs," he said.

He praised those who had supported the club, allowing it to "play on".

Cleveland Police said emergency services had been called to a blaze in the ground's main stand with fire crews concluding the cause was "malicious".