VANDALISM at a Yeadon cricket club has become so bad that supporters have considered all-night stake-outs to try to catch those responsible.

The attacks have proved personally painful for Green Lane Cricket Club president Norman Holroyd, reduced to crutches after trying to carry out repairs to damaged equipment.

Mr Holroyd, 75, was left with a smashed knee after a sightscreen he was repairing toppled over on to his left leg.

He has now had to have a knee-joint replaced and his recovery is not being helped by continual Friday night vandalism attacks at the Nunroyd Park club.

Mr Holroyd said: "This has been going on for week after week after week. We are at our wits end. We just don't know what to do."

The club president said a catalogue of vandalism had been recorded. This included wicket covers being dumped in a nearby pond, fencing and seating smashed, and the club roller being damaged. Even the club's satellite dish had been the target for vandals.

He said repairs were very expensive. Two new screens for the club would cost £700 apiece.

"Some of these items are very heavy to move, so it must be a few of them doing it. Some people have even talked about staying at the club on Friday night, but if that happened, then they might get in trouble with the police if they tried to stop the vandals," he said.

He said the idea had been dropped, as it was thought the police would not be happy about people taking the law into their own hands.

Mr Holroyd has blamed late night revellers for the destruction, but he believes others have contributed to the current crisis.

"We have had horse-riders, motor bikes and golfers on the ground. It is absolutely disgraceful. You wouldn't believe it," he said.

While clubs across the country gear up for a new cricket season, Mr Holroyd said he was 'dreading it'.

"At the moment, the ground looks immaculate and the groundsman has done a tremendous job," he said.

Mr Holroyd said the patience of club members had snapped and it was time for the problem to be publicised.

"We have brought this to the attention of the police on numerous occasions and we are just totally fed up with the situation," he said.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: "We would ask anyone with any information about these incidents to get in touch with their nearest police station."

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