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Football club's equipment destroyed in fire

Bea SwallowBBC News, West of England
News imageSwindon Supermarine Youth FC A yellow pop-up football goal on fire laying on the grass outside a storage container. There is other equipment strewn all over the grass and spilling out of the container. There is black smoke coming off the burning goal.Swindon Supermarine Youth FC
Two storage containers were torched, destroying the contents inside

A youth football team says its training equipment was destroyed in a "mindless" arson attack just days before the start of the season.

Two storage containers belonging to the Swindon Supermarine Youth Football Club, at Webbswood Stadium in Wiltshire, were set on fire on Wednesday.

The club, which trains players aged six to18, said it had lost thousands of pounds worth of equipment, including summer tournament apparatus and kit used to mark pitches.

Wiltshire Police said an investigation into the blaze was under way.

News imageSwindon Supermarine Youth FC A Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue engine parked alongside a wooden fence on the football pitch. There is a firefighter wearing their kit stranding beside the fire engine, while a yellow hose comes out the back and stretches across the grass Swindon Supermarine Youth FC
The fire took around 45 minutes for crews to extinguish

A spokesperson from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said crews were deployed to the club at 14:36 BST on Wednesday.

The club's chairman, Matt Roberts, said he was "fuming" following the hard work and dedication of volunteers to build the club up.

Mr Roberts said the club were still pulling together an itinerary to assess the extent of the damage, but estimated losses of between £5,000 - £10,000.

"That's a big chunk of money that normally helps to promote the club and go back into equipment, it wasn't earmarked for damage," he said.

News imageSwindon Supermarine Youth FC The inside of one storage container, with equipment and tools scattered about the floor. There are scorched burn marks up the metal corrugated walls and pitch-marking equipment has been melted, leaving white paint smeared all over the floor. Swindon Supermarine Youth FC
Line marking machines and paint retail for up to £700

Mr Roberts said the club were "still coming to terms" with the loss, and struggled to understand the motives behind it.

"It's obviously very upsetting for the club and devastating as a committee, that some people decided this is a way of fun, burning down containers down that belonged to a youth centre."

Since the fire, Mr Roberts said a number of local football clubs, including FC Abbey Meads and AFC Haydon Vale, had offered "loads of support" and replacement equipment for the oncoming season.

"It definitely shows you that the community and the local clubs around us, we all stand together," he said.

"That's what's frustrating, with the amount of hours you put into these clubs, that some mindless people feel that it's fun to destroy all that hard work."

News imageSwindon Supermarine Youth FC The exterior of a storage container. The paint on the metal corrugated walls has been blackened and is peeling off. On the ground there is a pile of grey ashes still on fire and a wooden pallet leading up against the container. Swindon Supermarine Youth FC
Mr Roberts said he "wouldn't wish this on anybody else"

The club said their young players felt "annoyed" at the loss of their training equipment, but they would "push on and fight through".

"We've told them to carry on enjoying the facilities we have got, to get back out there and play the game as it should be," Mr Roberts added.

Wiltshire Police said: "We have received a report of a potential arson attack at Webbswood Stadium Complex, Swindon, on Wednesday afternoon.

“Our enquiries are ongoing.

“Any witnesses are asked to get in touch on 101 quoting log 192 of August 28.”

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