Vandals destroy top-class green

Vandals have left behind a trail of destruction at a Huntington bowling club - one of the top facilities in the Midlands - destroying half of the playing surface and throwing the rest of the season into turmoil.

Devastated officials at the club have stumped up a £400 reward to help catch the culprits responsible for Saturday night's attack.

Littleton Colliery Bowls Club members have been rocked by the 'wanton' vandalism to their village base.

The culprits threw a five litre bottle of motorbike oil over the green, which has taken 16 years to cultivate. The attack - on what is rated one of the best bowling greens in the region - has left local players in despair and means half of the green is unplayable.

And the incident, which is being investigated by police, is the second act of vandalism to be carried out on the site in just six months.

Chairman Paul Kelly said: "Our facility is like the Wembley of bowling greens. To have this happen is absolutely devastating and the damage is irreparable.

"We played a match on Monday afternoon, but had to fence part of the green off.

"We have done what we can to remove the oil but the damage is done and the grass will slowly die.

"Oil is the worst thing you can put on a green, other than weedkiller. Whoever did this knew what they were doing."

The bowling club boasts around 60 members, including many retired miners from the former Littleton Colliery. And the green often plays host to league matches.

The attack, just weeks before the end of the bowling season, follows an identical incident on the green earlier this year. The first act of vandalism also led to a section of the grass dying off.

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