A Bradford Council-owned decomissioned sports ground, which has become a target for arsonists and vandals, could become revived with the help of people in the area.

The pavilion at the ground in Scotchman Road, Heaton, suffered the third arson attack this year on Sunday night when the doors were set on fire causing a blaze which spread to the roof.

Danny Smith, community development worker at Manningham Mills Sports and Community Association, situated next to the ground, said the site was decomissioned a number of years ago by the Council and has since then been used by the public, but had also attracted arsonists.

He said he was now working with a group of residents to reclaim the site.

He said: “As far as I know it’s been decomissioned quite a while ago.

“Manningham Sports Centre used to have responsibility for it and the local people have just taken ownership of it really, so they use it for playing football and cricket and the young people hang around there in the evening.

“This is the third fire in the past few months.

“I don’t know why it was decomissioned – I know some people are looking to regenerate it into a sports facility and I’m working with and supporting a group called the Scotchman Road Residents Group and we are looking to regenerate it so young people in the area can use it for sports facilities.

“People are really just using it on an ad hoc basis and when they get bored they set fire to it, so we have spoken to people about using it again as a sports facility.”

Fairweather Green firefighters were called to the building at about 9.45pm on Sunday.

Watch commander Ronnie Goldwater, of Fairweather Green fire station, confirmed the fire was being treated as arson.

He said: “It looks like someone has set fire to the doors and it’s spread to the roof.

“It has burned the doors away and it’s got into the roof void and smoke damaged the whole building.

“This is the second or third time we have been at that building in the past few months.”

Crews were at the scene of the fire for about two hours.

The Telegraph & Argus understands the pavilion in Scotchman Road became redundant about four years ago when its synthetic football pitch became worn out and was too expensive to replace.

Bradford Council is believed to have discussed its use with a community group which had expressed an interest in taking it over, but those discussions have not made any progress as yet.

Councillor Imran Hussain, deputy leader of Bradford Council, said: “If this is a vandal attack by arsonists we hope the police can track them down and haul them before the courts.

“This kind of mindless damage is especially outrageous when local people and Bradford Council would like to see a positive future for this building.”