Call for action after vandals tear up youth football pitch with quad bikes

Kennoway Star Hearts Youth Football Club said it has been the victim of quad bike vandalism for a number of years.

Now secretary, Calum Doctor, is now calling on the council to install perimeter fencing to put an end to it.

“The club has been the victim of this type of vandalism for a good number of years,” Calum told Fife’s Local Democracy Reporter.

“As a club we are pleading for [the council’s] help to get some kind of pitch side barrier fences put up. The sad fact is that the council and ourselves could spend the money and hours to repair the pitches, but next week it could happen again.”

Over the last year, the club has spent more than £2000 to seed and repair the pitches. Calum said that time and money has now gone down the drain.

“We lease the pitches from the council, and we pay a lot of money each year for all our teams to play here. However, we always do our bit to keep the pitches nice so it’s something for Kennoway to be proud of. We’ll do our part [to help with damages], but in our opinion the only way to stop this is for some sort of fences to be put up around each pitch,” he said.

As one of the bottom six of socially deprived areas in Scotland for employment and social activities, Calum said the club is trying to provide “a proper safe environment for the kids in Kennoway to keep them off the streets and give them a platform to come and enjoy themselves.”

“When something like this happens, it’s soul destroying,” he said.

The significant damage caused by quad bikes has forced the club to cancel some youth games and activities this week and weekend.

The club has reported the incident to Fife Council.

Paul Coleman, safer communities manager, said he was aware of the vandalism.

“Vandalism of any kind is unacceptable and a blight on our communities,” he stated. “We will continue to regularly patrol this area and work closely with the police to combat this anti-social behaviour. We would also encourage members of the public to report any incidents.”

www.fife.gov.uk/antisocialbehaviour