By Lisa Ramsden
A local football club has been left with no option but to increase its security measures in a bid to thwart further damage to its ground. Facing spiralling repair bills, Annalong FC is in the process of installing a CCTV system to help protect its Hillmount Park home and to deter future incidents from occurring.
The decision to install the monitoring system was prompted after vandals once again went on the rampage at the park, this time earlier this month. Damage at Hillmount Park this year has seen toilets broken into and vandalised, as well as a vehicle, which was converted for use as a tuckshop, broken into and its contents ruined.
What was even more disheartening was the fact that the vandals set about ripping up copies of a commemorative book the club produced, charting its 125-year history, which were then thrown about the grounds. This is the second attack at the site this year.
In a social media post, Annalong FC outlined the impact such incidents have. “Running a club is hard work when we are all volunteers,” a club representative stated, adding that “it’s made much harder by ongoing destruction and vandalism faced from a few in our village.”
Speaking on Monday evening, club secretary Mark Gibson said the first “attack on the club” was carried out in February, and that the “ongoing problem of antisocial behaviour” is “very disappointing.” He confirmed that when club members discovered the aftermath of these incidents “the place was just a mess.” He said he could not understand what would possess anyone to want to rip a door off its hinges.
Describing it as “a major annoyance” to everyone involved with the club, Mr Gibson said several local businesses have offered their support since news of the vandalism first emerged, and for that, “Annalong FC is very grateful.”
“We have been left with no option but to buy these security cameras, we just need to try and protect the grounds,” he continued. “We have had to pay for repairs to be carried out,” he said, before acknowledging that this is money the club should be putting to better use.
With police investigating, Mr Gibson urged anyone with information which could be of relevance to come forward. He added that the incidents are very demoralising, and what was particularly upsetting was the fact that copies of the commemorative book, which he explained “charts the club down through the generations over the past 125 years,” appeared to be deliberately targeted.
“We have been left with no option but to do all we can to protect the property. A one-off incident would have been hard enough to swallow, but this has happened now more than once and we need to do all we can to prevent it from happening again,” he said.
Mr Gibson added that concerns have already been raised that locals may have carried out these attacks, and said this made it even harder to comprehend, as it impacts on the committee, players, and supporters. “It’s not been great, people have really taken it to heart,” he added.
Anyone with information is asked to call police on the non-emergency 101 number.
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