Vandals turn Stockland cricket pitch into a high speed race track - leaving deep ruts in the playing surface

Joy riders have badly damaged Stockland playing field.

Deep ruts were left by two boy racers performing high speed antics in the early hours of yesterday (Thursday).

Yarcombe and Stockland Cricket Club groundsman Mike Barnes said they had churned up the playing surface doing wheelies.

“To be honest, it’s a bloody mess,” he told The Herald.

“We had just put the pitch to bed on Sunday (after the end of the season) dressing it and cutting it ready for the winter.

“There are inch-and-a-half and two-inch ruts right across the square.

“If it had happened during the season it would have been a disaster. It will recover but it will take a lot of work.”

Mr Barnes said that one of the contractors working on a new play area at the field had been staying on the site and saw the vandals in action, at around 12.15am.

But he had been unable to see their number plates which meant the police were not able to trace them.

Mr Barnes said the two vehicles involved were quite distinctive – a Porsche and a Suzuki Swift.