Village footballers struggling to find enough ground to play on have been dealt a further blow by yobs who drove a car over their only pitch.
The playing field, off Silver Street, Silver End, is home to Silver End Youth Football Club's 13 teams, along with two village men's teams, and often becomes too muddy to use.
As a result, the young footballers recently appealed for help in finding land elsewhere they can lease or buy and use as pitches.
But the players have also suffered from thoughtless motorists churning up the pitch by driving cars on it apparently for fun.
The club had to cancel its weekend training anyway because of the weather, but members condemned the vandalism and called on those responsible for the barrier at the pitch entrance to mend and secure it to stop vehicles driving on to the grass.
A Braintree Council spokeswoman said she thought the barrier had been installed by Silver End Parish Council.
The parish council was unavailable for comment.
Published Friday, January 24, 2003
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