Bike vandals bring misery

The 40 sq yard pitch, at White Wickets sports ground off Franche Road in Kidderminster, suffered deep ruts after it was targeted by several riders.

Owner Wyre Forest District Council said irresponsibly-ridden motorbikes were a growing problem in parks and open spaces and predicted it would cost at least £2,000 to repair the damage at White Wickets. Reg Bourton surveys the damage at the White Wickets bowling green in Kidderminster.

Reg Bourton, a committee member of Unison Bowling Club - one of several based at the ground - said he was "extremely angry" at the vandalism.

"It's ruined the playing surface. You can't even go on the pitch with ordinary shoes so having a motorbike on there is terrible," he said.

"It's the worst damage since I started playing in 1994."

Mr Bourton said the surface could be out of action for the whole season, due to start next month, and the 40 club members would have to use facilities at Brinton Park.

Some players were in their late 80s and the club is an important social focus for them, he added.

Mr Bourton found broken bottles on the pitch following the vandals' visit, which also damaged the ground's football pitches.

The district council's leisure services manager Andrews Dickens said it was too early to say when the green would reopen.

He added it was "almost impossible" to protect the site from what he termed mindless vandalism as it was very open with several different access points.

Other locations, particularly Springfield Park in Kidderminster and Stourport's Burlish Top Nature Reserve, were frequently damaged by motorbikes.

Mr Dickens said: "It's not only the cost to us of the damage but it presents a threat to the riders and innocent pedestrians."

He added the bikes - which usually had number plates removed - were very hard to trace and appealed for witnesses to call the police.

Anyone with information can contact Kidderminster Police on 08457 444 888.