Benfleet Cricket Club is determined to be ready for the start of the new season despite vandals wrecking their changing rooms.

Hooligans broke into the dressing rooms and pantry at the club's Woodside Park home on Friday night, smashing them up and leaving a tap turned on to flood the area.

Club chiefs discovered the damage on Saturday morning when they arrived to prepare for a friendly match against Wanstead.

That game was called off, but Castle Point Council emergency workmen boarded up the windows and club members cleared the mess to enable friendlies against Leigh and Upminster to take place yesterday.

"We cleared it up and were able to play. Castle Point MP Bob Spink and councillors Pam Challis and Bill Dick came to have a look at the damage," said Benfleet chairman John Hearn.

"We are looking to get it ready for the start of the new season in two weeks' time. Hopefully everything will be OK for the start of the season."

Police cordoned the area off on Saturday and the scene was fingerprinted.

The changing rooms are owned by the council and it will be the authority's responsibility to repair the damage.

The cricket club owns the clubhouse attached to the pavilion. Security measures prevented this area from being affected by Friday night's trouble.

Benfleet are still locked in negotiations with the council over the lease for the clubhouse.

The talks have been dragging on for more than a year and club chiefs are hoping to get the details finalised after the local elections on Thursday.

Benfleet start their Shepherd Neame Essex League season on May 10.

Published Monday, April 28, 2003

Brought to you by the Evening Echo