A FOOTBALL team is taking drastic action following a fire that tore through part of a club portacabin.

Greenfield FC have said that the football pitch and surrounding land that they use will now become completely fenced off to members of the public with locked gates after a portacabin was set alight in the early hours of Monday morning.

The club have said that individuals will not be allowed on any of the land without advance permission being given by the club.

The Leader:

Fire damage caused to club portacabin [Images by Sarah McGilloway]

Dennis Hogan, the club secretary, said that the club have been in that area for almost a decade and this latest incident of vandalism is by far the worst for the club.

He added: "It is just frustrating for all of us involved in the club. The cabins were being stored at the site by the chairman whilst we were deciding what they would be used for in the future - I believe it was toilet facilities. This whole situation just baffles me as i just think what do people achieve from this kind of behaviour?

The Leader:

"We are trying our best to build the club up as part of the community and things like this have such a devastating effect on everyone who puts their spare time and energy into making this club something for us all to be proud of."

Signposts are due to go up around the area notifying the public of this decision by the club.

Sarah McGilloway, who attended the scene following the incident, said: "It is just gutting that people could do this to a local team. There have been incidents in the past of mindless vandalism, like windows being smashed in and vehicles or containers damaged, but this is just so upsetting for us as a community."

The Leader:

The large container that the club purchased was set on alight and completely gutted from fire damage. The containers next to the cabin was also damaged.

A spokesman for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: "We received a call at 12.50am on October 14 to a fire on Bagillt Road in Greenfield. Two appliances from Holywell and Flint were sent to the incident which involved a portacabin. The portacabin was damaged significantly and the cause is as yet unknown."